


Maid in Whipstaff

by Godess_of_the_void



Category: Casper (1995), The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2020-09-01 16:10:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20260846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Godess_of_the_void/pseuds/Godess_of_the_void
Summary: Meet Blair O'Brien!





	1. The Beginning of a New Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Blair O'Brien!

Blair O'Brien had the luck of the Irish in her. She was loved and cared for by the supernatural all her life. Many family members believed she had their ancestors' blessings and had guided her from heaven.

They were close enough.

What protected her and guided her was her grandmother, Connie 'Puca' O'Brien. She was a ghost who died the same week of her granddaughter's birth. Mrs. O'Brien was a spitfire after her death and was very popular in both the human realm and the Netherworld.

After she crossed over, her friends and fellow Deadbeats had taken over Blair's care. When she was old enough to take care of herself, even her grandmother's friends slowly left. Ethier by crossing over, leaving for the Netherworld, or returning to their old hauntings.

As a memento of her grandmother and her friends, she had kept a copy of The Handbook. And even though Blair is alone for the first time in her life she still have connections with the Dead-vine. And the Dead-vine was loaded with all the latest supernatural gossip.

And the latest gossip is that a family in Friendship Main was hiring a maid for their seaside haunted mansion. If only the ghoulish fiends that haunts the place wouldn't chase every potential housekeeper that answers the call.

That is why she was full of confidence that she has already got the job, even if her employers didn't know it yet.

So full of confidence that when Kat Harvey opened the door, the first thing she did was reached out her hand and announced really loud for anyone that's dead to hear, "Hi! I AM YOUR NEW HOUSEKEEPER!!! PLEASE TO MEET YOU!!"

Kat jumped back as Dr. James Harvey ran to the door, "I am sorry miss but we are no longer hirin-"

"Because of the Ghostly Trio, right?" Blair pushed her way in, "Might as well rip off the band-aid." The other humans look at her with shocked expressions.

A thundering roar was heard as the Trio formed a vortex around the main hall. Her pixie cut of red hair fluffed up from the winds as she smiled at the tornado in the room.

"Hold it boys!" The wind stopped as Stretch, the leader, put his arms out to stop his brothers. "There is something weird about this one."

Blair's smile grew even wider. "Weird?" She whipped out her 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased' and laughed, "Don't you mean Strange and Unusual?"

The Trio jumped to action, "Smell-o-gram!" As Stinky burped breathed on Blair.

"What a lovely putrid green color! Too bad I have Congenital Anosmia."

James stopped being worried when she started to laugh instead of screaming and was writing notes looked up, "You mean you were born without a sense of smell?"

"Bingo!" She gave the Harvey's a thumbs up.

Fatso ran through her giving her a delightful chill. As he picked her up and flew all the way to the ceiling. He smiled evilly as he dropped her. He was planning on catching her before she landed below, but she simply disappeared the moment he let go. "Down here!" Fatso looked at the stairs and saw her waving at him. "I can Blink, if you are wondering?"

Casper finally appeared, "Oh, thank goodness you are okay!"

Blair gave the friendliest ghost a hug, "Oh My God! You are so fucking cute! Can I keep you?"

Harvey gave a sigh of relief, "You have the ability to teleport, then?"

"Yep! I am even connected to the Dead-Vine! Luckily the dead are notorious gossips or I wouldn't have found this place!"

"Great! This fleshy is a medium!" Stretch raised his arms as if he was totally Done.

"Wow! Every ghost in this town is really old fashioned. I have never been called, 'Fleshy,' 'Bone Bag,' and 'Meat Sack' so much in my life, and I was raised by Netherworlders!"

James climbed the stairs and walked over to the woman, "What is your name miss?"

"Blair O'Brien."

"Blair O'Brien. You are hired!"

***

Blair and Casper was having a blast while they were making a fest for the residence of Whipstaff. Singing Keisha's 'Die Young' while making the food.

Kat smiled at the fact that Casper now has a friend that will help with the chores while she was busy with high school and her part-time job.

Blair won her respect when she made fools of the Trio and cooing all over her ghostly friend. Anyone that can do that on the first time meeting the ghosts was okay in her book.

James, reading the newspaper, was also pleased with the new hire. Having someone that knows more about the supernatural then he does will surely be a big help. It was just a few days ago that he learned that ghosts of Friendship are considered 'old fashioned' thanks to Blair.

Everytime the Trio would throw an insult she should laugh and call them 'Papies' and throw some dead puns their way. 

"BONEBAG! Where's our meal!"

"Awwwe, did Papy Deadbeat missed his nap? Casper Dear, we will have to cut the food bitesize so they don't choke to Death."

Stretch sneered at Blair, "Ya think ya so clever." Then he took a bite of the food she placed in front of him, "What the hell?"

Stinky burped after clearing his plate, "I would have thought that a lack of smell would infect your sense of taste."

"This is delicious!" Fatso bellowed happily as he nodded to the Harvey's, who agreed with him with gosto.

"I was also born with super sensitive taste buds. If it wasn't for my Anosmia I would have been called a supertaster." The Trio stared at her. "What?"

***

Blair woke up to a bad taste in her mouth. She shot out or bed and spat the sock out of her mouth. "Well played Stinky… That was so putrid I can almost smell it." The whispering of the Dead-vine got her attention. Stinky was in the room with her, only invisible. "But…. I think I can do one better."

Blair went to her bathroom to brush the taste out of her mouth. "Wada ya mean ya can do better?" Stinky appear next to her as she rinsed out the sock's flavor.

"Not by myself of course, I would need a ghost to help me. One that is disgusting enough that he would eat compost."

"Well ya are looking at such a ghost. Why ya need me to eat compost?"

"You know that compost pile near Old Browner's farm?" Stinky nodded as she returned to her room and pick up the sock. "Me me there in ten minutes." Then she Blinked.

***  
Stinky found Blair digging in the pile when he got there, "Where is it? I know it's there."

Stinky moved next to her, "What are ya looking for?"

"By the stinging of my eyes, I think it's an onion. Can you smell it?"

Stinky took a big weif of the smelly compost. "Found it!" And dove in. When he came out he was holding an onion that smelled so bad it was even making Stinky cried, "Ah shit! That is the most wonderful smell I ever smelled!" The onion in question was black, slimy, with white fur growing on it, and most importantly, it reeked to high heaven.

Blair held her nose, "God! Even though I can't smell it, it is really clearing my sinuses out." She was wishing that she had a tissue available. Snot was waterfalling out of her nose and her bloodshot eyes was pooling with tears. "Okay Stinkbomb! Let's see how you like the taste of it."

"Ah Hell Yeahhhhhhh!" He took a big juicy bit of the onion. "Oh God this is Heaven!" 

As he chewed he looked down to see Blair kneeling with a black plastic bag under him. Smirking, he swallowed the fowl vegetable. Black slug dropped in the bag as Stinky took another bite savoring the taste with every chew. 

He looked back down to see how the human was holding up. She looked like shit. Any other humans with a normal sense of smell would have drowned in their own vomit by now. He swallowed and took his last bit of the onion, this time he chewed faster.

After Blair had gathered the last of the chewed black ball of rot, she got up and about to rub her eye when Stinky grabbed hold of her arm, "Holdit cowgirl. Ya don't wanna have the onion's acid in your eyes. Let me take ya home. Blinking right now is not an option for ya." He grabbed Blair and carried her back to the manor bridal style.

Stinky lead her to the front door then to the nearest bathroom. He grabbed the soap and started scrubbing Blair's hands. The spook ignored the crawling sensation on his ectoplasm from the soap, this chick was worth it.

"Stinky? Why the hell are you helping that Fleshy? And more importantly! Are you using soap?" Stretch and Fatso was at the doorway of the bathroom. They saw the two coming in the house together and was curious about what was up.

Without answering Stinky tossed the bag at his brothers. Stretch caught it and was assaulted with the smell when he opened it. "Blair's idea." Stinky was satisfied with the amount of suds on Blair's hands that after he rinsed and dried them he grabbed some toilet paper and started wiping her eyes and hold it to her nose for her to blow.

"Oh God! I can breathe! I think it almost cured my Anosmia." Stinky patted her head. "I would let the sock from earlier soak up the onion and then use it on someone. But I wouldn't use it on just anyone." She winked at the Trio. "Vengeance… I would definitely use it on someone I hate and get some vigilante justice with that sock. What do you think, Stinkbomb?"

Stinky smiled at the new nickname, "I like it. And I know just the bitch to prank."

***  
Later that evening Kat came home from work, "Stinky!" She followed her nose to her father's study. Knowing that Stinky was most likely having a session with her dad but she didn't care, she burst into the office and made a beeline towards her hero. Before her father would ask what was going on she wrapped her arms around his neck, "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Only you would have done something so fowl, disgusting, and wonderfully evil to do that to Amber."

"Hey Kat." Over the years the Trio grew attached to the teenager and adopted her as a member of the family, though they would never admit it. "Had a good day?"

"Don't play coy with me! I know it was you.  
Amber came to the coffee shop and was talking about how her house smelled like  
The King of Gym Socks and Queen of Onions had a baby. She had to cancel her pool party."

James smiled knowing full well that Shinky targeted Amber for Kat. But he had a job to do, "Kat. Stinky and I are having a session."

She gave her father a kiss on the cheek, "Sorry Dad. Wouldn't happen again." She walked out of the office like the luckiest girl in the world.

James went back to his notes and started writing, "So… Tell me bout the prank you pulled on Ms. Whitmire."

***

Blair was scrubbing the main hall. Normally she would use a mop, but Dr. Harvey had booked the next day a Royal Family counseling session for King Kibosh and Prince Vince. She wanted everything to look perfect for these two.

She was so busy focusing on the floor she didn’t notice that the bucket was floating over her head till she tried to dipped her scrub brush in the said missing bucket. She closed her eyes and braced for it. The bucket emptied on top of her.

She got up and ran to the kitchen. Fatso, the current prankster, followed her trying hard not to laugh and giving himself away. When he entered the kitchen he was floored, instead of going for a towel or flushing suds out of her eyes, she made a bowl of dried rice and placed her phone in it. Music was still playing out of her phone when she unplugged her headset. Was that Mozart’s Don Giovanni in Death Metal?

“They are a Metal band that strictly play classical, if you are wondering. Their version of Grieg’s Hall of the Mountain King is pretty awesome.” Blair turned to the invisible ghost, “I know you are there Fatso.”

Fatso appeared and looked at the soaking maid and the bowl of rice on the counter. “Bet they don’t play Mahler's Symphony No. 2.”

“Mahler’s Resurrection, Verdi’s Day of Wrath, Chopin’s Death March, and of course to keep the theme going Bach’s Toccata & Fugue in D Minor.”

“Even Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre?”

“They even played it with an electric violin to keep it traditional,” Blair raised her finders and mad air quote for the word traditional. “But the band is still awesome in my opinion.”

“What’s the band’s name?”

***

Fatso, Casper and Blair was playing Schubert's Der Erlkönig while polishing the suits of armor in the main hall, "Hey! Is the vocalist for Erlkönig the same guy that did Don Giovanni?"

Blair couldn't help but smile at Fatso, "The vocalist was raised by his strict parents that were famous classical composers. When they discovered he had a voice for opera they pushed him too far. He retaliate by singing opera for other bands of separate genres. He even did a piece with a famous rapper. His parents disowned him because of it."

Casper looked up from his work, "Wow!"

"Looks like the main hall looks done. Casper? Wanna help me tackle the stairs?"

"Okay!" Casper grabs the polish and rags to put them away as Blair prepare another fresh bucket of soap and water.

Blair turns to Fatso, "You can borrow the disk if you like."

Fatso wave at her, "Thanks." When she turned to return to her chores, Fatso's smile faded. He floated to James' office door and knocked.

When the "afterlife therapist" opened the door he was shocked, "Fatso? You knocked?"

"Hiya Doc. Are you available for a walk-in?"

"Uh, yeah. I had a last minute cancellation so I am available for the next 45 minutes." James moves out of the way, "Would you like to come in?"

"Thanks, Doc."

***

There was something wrong with his brothers and Stretch knows the culprit. That fleshy bitch have been at their house in less than a week and have got both Stinky and Fatso to help around the house! To help HER!

The Doc and Kat where away for the weekend, something about visiting relatives. Casper went with them without telling his uncles. The Bulbhead will definitely gonna get it when he returns home.

So it is just the boys and HER. 

She has been keeping herself busy with chores. House this big there is always something to clean. At least one would have thought. Everything looked spotless! How the hell she did it was beyond Stretch.

But the boys were bored and the Harvey's are not able to prank. And pranking HER was not fun. She always roll with the punches.

"Hey guys!" Speak of the devil. "Wanna have some fun now that the kids are away?"

The Trio looked at Blair with curiosity, "Wadda had in mind?"

***

"Okay! Okay! Guys!" Blair couldn't get the boys to stop laughing as she picks up a black card. "Okay. Okay. 'It's a pity that kids these days are all getting involved with blank.' Okay wadda ya got!" The boys found their white cards and put them down, "Multiple stab wounds. The entire Internet. Flying sex snakes…. What the fuck is a fly sex snake?" That got the boys rolling again. "Well I will pick Stinkbomb's card because…. It is so true. The internet is corruption."

"Yes!" Stinky raised his arms, much to the dismay of his brothers. It took Blair a while to realise why the other two was trying to keep their brother's arms down. Thank God for her lack of a sense of smell.

"Hey guys. You know what this party needs? Booze. I have a bottle of Shrunken Head Vodka that a Netherlander friend of mine gave me before they crossed over." Blair got up to go to a drawer next to her bookcase pulling out a bottle that has a label that was the shape of a shriveled head. "What you say!"

Fatso smiled, "I have some Devil's Crotch Whiskey I was saving up." He disappeared through the wall getting his prized liquor.

Stinky looked at Blair with a concerned look, "Can you consume Netherland's foods? Ain't it poisonous to fleshies?"

"Normally yes. But one of my dead babysitters didn't knew that and gave me a screamberry pie when I was five. I was rushed to the hospital and survived." To make a point she took a sip out of the bottle. "Now I am immune to whatever Netherlander foods out there."

"Ya had a ghost for a babysitter?" Stretch raised and "eyebrow."

"Officially I had a living babysitter, but she was more interested in phone sexing her boyfriend then me. She didn't even notice a ghost cleaning up the house."

Fatso came back with a bottle that looked very suggestive. Stretch was not amused, "I hope you brought glasses, because I am not drinking out of that."

Blair has always been a show off at these kind of parties and grabbed the whiskey bottle and took a small sip. Fatso and Stinky gave her a high-five while Stretch was hiding his red face. "Stretch! Pick up a card!"

Stretch pick up a black card, "It says, 'I got 99 problems but blank is not one of them.' This odda be good." Everyone puts down their cards, "Okay we have 'Unfathomable stupidity,' wanna bet Stinky. 'Three dicks at the same time,' Fatso! Finally out of the closet! And…" Stretch looks at Blair's card, "That is… fucking adorable, 'Two otters holding hands.' Fleshy wins this round."

"Yes! Even the dead can't resist the charms of two otters holding hands!"

The boys laughed.

***

"Phfff… Heh. 'I drink to forget blank.' I am gonna be too drunk for this one I bet." Fatso hiccuped. Last round of the game and Stretch, Stinky, and Blair was determined to outdo the others. The three was tied and was playing for a tiebreaker. With Fatso dead last on the game, he didn't mind being the 'Card Czar' for the last play. Stinky eyes were crossed, Blair was slumping to the side, and Stretch was making a creepy laugh, but they finally made their choice. "We have… hic… Harry Potter erotica. Tentacle porn. And the primal ball-slapping sex your- Oh My Fucking God Stretch!"

Everyone stared at Stretch's card and started rolling. Stretch not only won the round but the entire game as well. Blair started to clean up only to stumble. Stretch grabbed her before she hurt herself. "Okay party animals! Bed!" Stinky and Fatso gave a drunken salute and disappeared, "You too. Blair."

Blair smiled as her arms wrapped around the spook's neck, "Finally called me by my name." She smiled as she placed her head on Stretch's chest.

Stretch blushed as he carried her to her bed. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Uncharacteristically, he ran his fingers through her short red hair. He took note of the freckles that dot her cute little nose and remembered how her emerald green eyes shined when she was laughing.

She was beautiful. And Stretch wanted to kick himself for thinking that.

He was drunk enough to blame it on the drinks.

***

Blair woke up from that dream again. That recurring dream that sexualy awaken her when she was a teenager. That cursive dream that leave her feeling alone. 

HE was tall, lean, and athletic. He wore a black tailcoat with matching waistcoat and trousers. His black hair was combed back. And he had a thin black ribbon that he wore as a bowtie that sat between the white wings of his collar.

She knew. She knew that the man of her dreams was a ghost. The style of dress he wore was a dead giveaway. Late 1800's definitely. And he was so pale one would think he was Pale Horseman himself. The man clearly died in his late 20's, early 30's.

But Blair could never remember his face, everything else, sure. But the moment she wakes up his face disappears from her mind. Which infuriated her to no end.

Because of that stupid dream she founds that living men do nothing for her. Lucky for her the dead sees her as attractive as she sees them. She dated both living and dead. The dead finds her attractive but more of a friend than a lover. And the living…. Makes her skin crawl. She never understood why.

Blair cursed her spectrophiac antics. But is it truly spectrophilia she never slept with ghosts? She never slept with humans either, but does it even matter? She wonders if her dates ever had a moral crisis when they were with her. Would HE have a moral crisis if they finally do meet?

To clear her mind and cool her body, she decided to take a cold shower. Hopefully after her shower she will be steady enough to clean up after their little party and make a hangover breakfast for her and the Trio.

***

Stretch hovered near the office door with internal chaos in his mind. He was thinking about Blair after the party. He was thinking about her when he was hungover. He was thinking about her before the Harvey's returned home with his nephew. And he was thinking of her after they got home three hours later.

Stretch was so focused on the whirlwind that was his mind that he wasn't even angry with Casper anymore for sneaking off. But he did tell his young charge not to do it ever again and to ask to join the Harvey's if they are leaving town.

He was debating on whether or not to tell the Doc about it. Even though Dr. Harvey takes therapist-patient confidentiality really seriously, there are somethings that he kept to himself. A lot of things. Things that not even his family knows. Mainly about him and Casper.

If push comes to shove, he will tell these secrets to both the Doc and the entire household. Until then, he will keep these secrets to keep his family, friends, and house safe. 

But will it keep Blair safe? From them? From him? If only he had the answers.

"Stretch? Would you like to come in?" Stretch jumped at the sound of Doc's voice. He instantly noticed the irony of a fleshy spooking a spook. "You have been there for over thirty minutes. Want to talk about what's bothering you?"

Damnit. Might as well get it out of his chest, "Fine." He entered the office. 

James looked at the violet eyed leader of the pranksters he and his daughter lives with. He can't believe that in the course of a week the three brothers came to him with the intent to have a serious session with him. No jokes, no pranks, not even any destruction of his property.

Maybe. Just maybe he can finally help his friends to crossover. And if not to crossover, then maybe help them find themselves. He was very happy to have hired the Irish maid.


	2. Out of the Coffin and into the Grave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stranger is in town and secrets are out in the open.
> 
> Some things might not make seanse unless you read Necessary Evil.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/16096469/chapters/37595639

"One large coffee, black, filled to the brim, and to-go," Kat rushed to make the coffee. "And when I say to the brim I mean no room, young lady!"

"Yes, ma'am." She hands the coffee to the lady with the mink coat. At least she was easy even if she was rude.

Her companion on the other hand, "Two XL cups of extra-hot water, double-cupped. One cappuccino, non-fat, no-whip, 140-degrees, three-and-a-half-pump caramel syrup with exactly one inch of foam. And make sure the foam is good! Also to go and hurry it up!" 

Shit. Kat rushed to make the order as fast and as accurate as possible. When Kat gave the man in the pressed suit his coffee he just sipped it, looked at Kat, "Well, it’s no wonder why you're the one in this equation wearing an apron.”

As the two headed to the exit, a chair tipped over by itself in front of the man who tripped on it and spilled his drink carrier over his companion's white mink coat. The screaming match between them was enough for the assistant manager to tell them to leave.

"Good riddance! Ya okay, there Toots?"

"Don't bother Kat when she's working, Surg."

Kat turned to where the Brooklyn voices came from and gave the invisible Spooky and Pearl a smile. But making a point that she wasn't going to speak with them till she gets off the clock.

"Ms. Harvey!" Oh no… "You have time to lean, you have time to clean!"

"Yes, Sir!" Kat ran to the cabinet that contains the cleaning supplies. She turned to see the head manager messing with his phone and not doing the inventory nor helping his fellow co-workers. The assistant manager looked at him with disgust but didn't say anything.

"Tish. Look at that Poil. The blowhard don't practice what he preaches."

"I wanna haunt him so hard, I saw him stealing from the tip jar." Welp. This is serious. Pearl likes scaring as much as Casper dose.

Kat finished cleaning and went to her boss. "The restaurant is clean, Sir. Can I clock out? I have school tomorrow."

The manager sneered at her, "You know what your problem is, Young Lady?" He is only four years older than Kat.

"She is a sixteen-year-old girl that has homework, teen angst, and the smarts to know that the future is not as bright as her elders keep telling her?"

"No. You're not a team pla- Wait. Who said that?" He turned around to see an attractive woman with red hair that makes her look like a pixie. Her emerald eyes shining brightly but icey. And her button nose is dotted with the cutest freckles that you ever did see.

"I am here to pick up Kat Harvey? She is off the clock, right? Because the last time I checked a sixteen-year-old minor cannot work after 10:15 p.m. the night before a school day. It is almost eleven and she does have school tomorrow."

"Ms. Harvey? Why aren't you clocked off yet? Go home."

Kat was already removing her apron and clocked off the moment she saw Blair O' Brien, her household's new maid. "Already clocked out, Sir."

Blair smiled at Kat, "You didn't work too hard, did you?" Kat rolled her eyes as she follows the housekeeper to her motorcycle. Blair laughed, she knew full well that the teenager had a rough night. Blair passed Kat her spare helmet. "Hop on Ichabod, Kat."

"It's weird that you call your motorcycle Ichabod." Kat got behind Blair and squeezed her middle. Blair smiled and drove home. Spooky and Pearl right behind them.

When the two young ladies came through the front door Dr. Harvey was just leaving his office to turn in for the night. "Kat? Did you just came home?"

"Yeah, Dad." She kissed her father, "I am going to bed. Night."

"Goodnight Bucket." When the teen was out of earshot Dr. Harvey turned to his maid. "I can't believe I didn't notice that she wasn't home from work. Thank you for bringing her home."

"I didn't notice either, to be honest. If it wasn't for the Dead-vine I wouldn't have thought to pick her up. I don't deserve your thanks."

"But you did pick her up and I am grateful for that."

***

The Trio was returning home when they noticed Blair and Kat got in the house. "Did Kat just got home?" Stretch made a scowling face.

Spooky spotted the Trio when following the girls home. Checked to see Blair and Kat at the front door and then he and Pearl turned towards his uncles. "She was still working until Ms. O'Brien came to pick her up a little past a quarter to eleven."

"What?!"

"He said-"

"I know what he said, Pearl. I just can't believe my nonexistent ears! How did Blair know to pick her up?" The others gave Stretch a look, "Right, the Dead-vine."

Fatso might not be the brightest of the trio. But he sometimes has a cooler head then his brothers, "At least Kat is home and safe. Wanna go check on her?"

The other four agreed. And flew to Kat's window, she was already in her PJ's and was turning in. The ghosts each sighed relief. Only to be startled by Kat opening her window. "You ghosts are super creepy, you do know that right?"

The Trio and the cute ghost couple each had a blush on their face. "We were just checking on ya." Spooky grabbed his blower hat and placed it where his heart would have been if he was alive. "Making sure y'all right."

Kat smiled, "Thanks, guys."

Stretch fluffed Kat's hair, "Goodnight, Kat. See ya at breakfast?"

"Goodnight. Oh? Has anyone seen Casper? He wasn't in the attic when I checked."

***

Something came over Casper. Something calling him. He followed the call to the high school that Kat goes to. On top of the roof was a teenage boy that looked to be the same age as Kat.

Casper floated up to the roof, "Hi. I'm Casper."

The boy didn't even look up, "Jimmy."

"Jimmy, why are you on the roof?" Casper knew why but wanted to be sure.

"As cliche as it sounds, I just can’t take it anymore."

"My uncles told me once that suicides become caseworkers in the afterlife."

"That sounds famil-" Jimmy looks at Casper, "Oh, you're a ghost." It was strange. It wasn't a scream or a comical scene where the breather runs away. It was 'Oh, you're a ghost' in the same tone that is used with, 'Oh, you have a little bit of ketchup on the corner of your mouth.'

"Yep, Casper the Friendly Ghost. At your service! Wanna be my friend?"

"I never had a friend before."

"You know Kat Harvey? She's my friend also. She can be yours too if you ask."

"Harvey, from Whipstaff? She seems cool. Yeah. I would like that." Casper took Jimmy's hand and lead him off the roof and on safe ground. Jimmy made his first friend and Casper helped a new one.

a classic car was parked a little bit out of the way. Hidden, but a man in a trench coat and a 'guide' cap in the car saw everything. The man was close to stopping the kid till Casper beat him to it. "Heh. You don't see many of those these days. Hell! I am always surprised when a few new ones pop up." The man turns the ignition and started to drive off, "Bet he doesn't even know what he is."

***

Blair entered her room only to be beaten by a strong heat. Oh God! There was no way in Hell she would be able to sleep with the room like this. She checked the vent in the room and found no air coming out. She really hopes it is a prank from the Trio and not something wrong with the ventilation.

She decided to go to the Trio's room. Stinky answered the door on the third knock. "Hi, Blair! What's up?"

"Hey, did one of you guys did something to the air vent in my room, I am kind of hoping you did."

"No. At least I haven't." Stinky turned to his brothers, "Any of you guys did a prank in Blair's room."

"Nope."

"Na Nah."

Blair pouted, "Drats. That means something is wrong with my air vent. It is too warm to sleep."

Stinky made a smirk as he picked up her up bridal style and dropped her in Stretch's bed, "What the Hell, Gym Sock!"

"Blair is bunking in with us till we figured out what's wrong with the air vent." Stinky floats back to his own bed.

"But why my bed?" This is very dangerous.

Fatso winked at Stinky, "Well, even though she has Congenital Anosmia I doubt that she wants to smell like our brother when she goes grocery shopping. And I for one am taking the majority of my bed. That leaves your bed."

"Don't worry, Stretch. I don't bite." 

Stretch growled at Blair, "Yeah, but I do."

Blair cursed her spectrophiac craves. Because her mind was scared, but her body just got excited. Fuck it. She decided then and there to own her spectrophilia. "Promise?" At the sight of Stretch's blush, she scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him, "Hmmm. Like hugging a gel-pack in the summer, feels good."

This was getting a little out of hand. Having Blair hug him like that felt good to Stretch as well. He was fighting the urge to run his fingers over her hair and hug her back. But instead, he pushed her off and thrown his covers on her, "Fine! But hands to yourself! After breakfast tomorrow, the boys and I will check with your vent."

Neither the leader of the Trio nor the maid saw the other two brothers giving each other an air high-five.

*** 

She was dreaming about Him again. Tall, dark, and dead. His hands were cupping her face as he was kissing her. 

She kissed back. God! What a great kisser. His lips were soft even though they were cold. His hands never going below, nor higher, just the waist. And if they did move from the waist, it was to cup her face or card his fingers through her short hair.

Blair noticed in the dream that they were still fully clothed even though they were lying down. Blair's hands were always touching his neck and chest. It was very hot. Which was alright for Blair. But even though she is a full-grown woman, sex still scares her. Even dream sex. 

He ran his fingers through her hair as he nipped her bottom lip as they parted for her to breathe. He tilted his head and kissed her again as if trying to devour the breath she just took. He grazed his cold tongue between her lips to gain access, which she granted. The kiss was getting deeper and more passionate. 

Out of all her dreams, why does this one feels more real?

***

Stretch woke up to a soft sensation on his lips. His eyes widened with two thoughts on his mind:   
Blair is kissing me in her sleep!   
And Oh my fucking God! This is so wrong but feels so right!

With a 'fuck it' kind of attitude, Stretch grabbed the cover and moved it over their heads. He cupped her face and kissed her back. Her lips were plump, warm, and so fucking kissable.

He moved his hands to her waist and held her close. His hands didn't move much, he dare not to. Kissing Blair in her sleep was bad enough, feeling her up in her sleep was a different ball game altogether.

Oh. But how good this felt. This was so fucking hot. Whoever Blair is dreaming about, he almost wants to thank them. Almost. The idea that Blair is kissing him while dreaming about someone else was slowly killing the mood.

So he released her lips to shake his thought away. But not before a playful nip on her bottom lip. He looked at the sleeping woman that have occupied his thoughts for the past month and ran his fingers through her red pixie cut. God! She is so beautiful.

He deepened the kiss and found a delightful taste of spearmint. He enjoyed the closeness of Blair's body against his non-corporeal form. How her hands rub against his neck and chest. And how perfect she is.

Blair made a sound and Stretch stopped. Okay. Way too dangerous, hopefully, he didn't wake up his brothers. Any further and he might regret his actions. As much fun as it would be to go further he wouldn't forgive himself for doing something like this to Blair.

He looked at the clock next to his bed. Blair wouldn't be out of bed for an hour to make breakfast. Casper would be up a little before then starting the preparation for said breakfast. 

Since he was wide awake he got out of bed, making sure Blair was still covered in the blanket. And headed to the kitchen. It has been over a hundred years since he made breakfast for his family, and helping Casper with cooking altogether would be his first.

"Hello, Stretch."

Stretch turned to the voice of the familiar angel, "Oh! Hey, Amelia. How are things in the Higher Plains?"

Amelia Harvey, deceased wife of James Harvey and mother of Kathleen Harvey, placed a hand on his shoulder, "The Higher Plains are planning to claim Casper."

He knew this was going to happen. But dammit! A hundred years wasted. "How long do I have?"

"One week. But there is still hope. Tonight, Casper will answer an important Call. This Call would be connected to your past but you must put your pride aside and help your nephew. This Call is sensitive but very important. Casper can't do this on his own."

"Shit. I guess I have to tell Casper."

"Tell me what, Uncle Stretch?"

Stretch turned to see Casper behind him. He looked where Amelia was earlier and found that she had disappeared. Most likely back to the Higher Plains.

Stretch pulled out a chair, "Casper. We need to talk." Casper sat down on the chair. "Casper, do you know what a Tutelar Spirit is?"

"No, Sir."

Stretch nodded, "Doesn't surprise me, to be honest. Ms. Banshee is smart but old fashionedly learned. She most likely wasn't trained to spot a Tutelar Spirit either."

"What is a Tutelar Spirit, Uncle Stretch?"

"Tutelar Spirits are ghosts that provides guidance, influence, and protection. Kat noticed that you weren't home last night. Were you helping someone that was troubled?"

"Jimmy, he was planning on committing suicide. I have no idea how I found him but I convinced him to be my friend and calmed him down. He is still suicidal, but at least he now has hope."

"Atta boy, Casper. You most likely felt a pull that lead you to him. That is known as a Call. Whenever you feel a Call you will have the urge to answer it. As it is your duty as a Tutelar."

"Uncle Stretch? How long have you known I was a Tutelar?"

"Since your death. I am sorry it took so long to tell you. I was hoping to protect you from the evil that would do anything to get their hands on a Tutelar. I was hoping that by training you to be a Scarer it would be easier to hide you." 

Stretch pinched the bridge of his nose. Looked at his nephew and pulled him in a hug, "I should have known you can't teach a fish to climb up a tree. I wasted a hundred years trying to turn you into something you are not. I am so, so sorry, Casper."

Casper was upset but not angry. And as true to his nature he hugged his uncle back, "I forgive you, Uncle Stretch."

Stretch rubbed Casper's head and kissed his nephew. "I will help you make breakfast."

"Does this mean I don't have to Scare anymore?"

"No, you don't."

"Does this mean I don't have to go to school today?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Are you going to be nicer to me from now on?"

"Don't push your luck, kid. You still have to do all your chores." 

"Does Uncle Stinky and Uncle Fatso know I am a Tutelar?"

"Fuck! I have to tell them!"

"Well, it's about fucking time you tell them about Casper." Stretch and Casper turned to find Blair at the kitchen doorway. The two ghosts looked at the maid with wide eyes, "What? I was trained to spot Tutelars. And I knew the moment I met Casper."

***

True to their word, the Trio inspected the air vent. Stinky notices the smell first then the warmth. "Something is definitely in the vent, smells familiar."

Stretch formed a scooper out of his hand and ran his hand through the wall around the vent, "Found it. And whatever it is just tried to bit me." Lucky ghosts don't feel pain, but they can still recognize the feeling of teeth against their ectoplasma.

This confirmed Stinky's theory, "Damn, must be Mr. And Mrs. Rat and the kids." Stinky uncovered the ventilation shaft and pulled out a potato sack. "Ready."

Stretch went through the wall to get a better angle as he scooted the Rat Family out of the vent. The rodents weren't happy with being pushed into a sack. Stinky knew just the place for the Rat Family and out the window he went.

Stretch was proud of a good ten minutes of work but noticed that it was only Stinky and him that was doing anything. Stretch turned to find his brother Fatso who was lounging on Blair's bed reading a notebook. "Hey, Lardhead! What are you doing while Stinky and I was doing all the work?!"

"Violating Blair's privacy." Fatso lifted the notebook.

"Is that her diary? Fatso, I am very disappointed in you… that you didn't wait for your brothers!"

Fatso laughed, "It says here she has recurring dreams."

"Sounds like Vision Dreams."

At that moment Stinky came back, "Hey guys, why you still here?"

"Stretch says that Blair might have Vision Dreams." Fatso lifted the diary again to show his brother.

"Ohhhh! What does it say?"

Stretch just remembered that Blair was dreaming about someone else earlier, "Maybe we should-"

"He was tall and have a lean build. His voice is always mischievous, but protective. He always wore black. His black hair slicked back. He always looks dapper-"

"That sounds like our brother, J.T."

Fuck. It does. Stretch lost a little bit of hope, "Of course it's J.T." 

J.T. always wins the girl. He got Stretch's first love. He won Casper's mother. Even when crossed over to the Higher Plains, he still gets the girl that he was pining for the past month.

Fatso tried to reassure his older brother, "We don't know that for sure, Stretch. It also says that she never remembers his face when woken up."

"Stop. I know what you are doing. I am kinda used to this." Stretch turned to leave the room. "I am okay." 

That was, of course, a lie.

***

Blair went to the haunted schoolhouse with a mission. She always wanted to do this. She just needs a confirmation about Casper. Now that she has it nothing is holding her back.

She made sure to come early before class starts. And knocked on the door of the schoolhouse. "Ms. Banshee? Are you in?"

The ghost teacher looked up from her desk, "Very rare for a fleshy to come to my schoolhouse. What is it, Ms. O'Brien?"

"To tell you that your education needs to be updated."

"Excuse me!"

"What do you know about Tutelar Spirits?"

"Ghost that are the protectors of the living. Why do you ask? There haven't been any since Ancient Rome!"

"Are you sure? One of the first Tutelar Spirit from Rome was a ghost girl by the name of Lar. Always well behaved for a ghost and willing to always leaned a helping hand to anyone in need, living or dead. She was kind, caring, and friendly. Always introduce herself 'Salve. Nomen mihi est Lar.' Now I know any ghost teacher worth her salt would be able to understand Latin, but doesn't it sound familiar?"

"What are-" Ms. Banshee made a gasp, "Casper?"

"I was trained to spot Tutelars. And I knew Casper was one. But you as an educator should be informed." Blair turned to leave. "There might be only one out of a billion of ghosts who are a Tutelar, but that only makes them more precious. If I am not mistaken, the summer break is starting soon. Get some training in the Netherlands."

Blair walked out just as the ghost children were coming in. Some looked at the fleshy that is calmly walking out of the schoolhouse with curiosity. Others recognized her for always telling them the coolest stories about the Netherlands. Spooky and Pearl, who learned from the Trio that she might show up to their school, simply waved. Blair waved back.

She was heading back to Ichabod when she heard a slow clap. "Well done!" She turned to see the man in the trench coat. "I always enjoy watching a medium tells an old fashioned Deadbeat to get with the times." The man walked up to Blair with one of his arms out for a handshake.

Blair noticed that his hand was warm but she didn't feel the crawling feeling she gets touching a living person, "Who's the Meatsuit?"

"I like you." The man laughed, "I am sorry to disappoint, but this is my real body."

"Demon?"

"In a sense. You can relax. Not going to do anything."

"That's what all Demons say."

"I am liking you more and more. I am looking for someone. An old friend of mine. Class VII Poltergeist."

A Class VII Poltergeist? In a town filled to the brim with Class III Full-Torsos? "Why are you looking for them?"

"Confidential."

"Then I can't help you."

"Smart girl."

"Maybe I can drop your name around to some Deadbeats."

"That's also confidential. Looks like we are at a bypass."

"Sorry I can't help."

"Hey, no problem." The Demon grabbed Blair's hand, "It is good to meet you, Miss. I truly hope we meet again when I ain't confidentially tied with red tape." With a wink, the Demon disappeared.

“He seems nice. Weird, but nice.”

***

Damnit! Damnit! Damnit! How can the teacher do this to her? Kat was very angry. The homework is unfair!

Everyone remembered the Halloween party over three years ago. No one would want to partner up with her for this stupid Student Biography Project! Even if someone wanted to, they will just come for the bragging rights for surviving the spookiest house in Friendship, Main.

"Excuse me, Kat?" Kat turned to the guy behind her to tell him off, but she was cut off before she could open her mouth. "I am a friend of Casper."

"Oh, you're a friend of Casper's?" Kat felt ashamed of her behavior. "I am sorry, I am very moody. Casper is pretty cool, huh?"

Jimmy smiled, "I understand moody. And Casper is pretty awesome! My name is Jimmy and I don't have a partner for Social Studies. And since I know Casper it might make it easier to partner with me?"

"Gahh. That project is the main reason for my bad mood." Kat sighed. Kat looks at Jimmy with determination, "Casper has uncles that like pulling pranks on the living."

"Sounds like my little brother. Benjamin is always causing trouble. Also… Casper isn’t my first runnin with the supernatural."

"My schedule is weird because of my part-time job."

"That's okay! My dad is a cop, so I know a thing or two about hectic schedules. We can meet at lunch and visit your house or mine on your days off. My family would love Casper."

"That reminds me, you can't write much about me since I have ghosts in my house."

"Same here... Stupid Deadites... Meet me at lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. Sadly we can't meet tonight. I am working at the coffee shop on Main Street."

"I heard the General Manager steals tips."

"He does… Wait? What’s a Deadite?"

***

"That one looks good." Blair and a very invisible Casper was at the produce section at the grocery store.

"How's the smell?" She moved the cantaloupe to her face as if smelling it. Casper smelled it and made a satisfactory hum. "I take it that smells good? Ready to head home?"

After Blair paid for the groceries, they loaded up the Harvey's station wagon and headed home.

Once back James came out to help unload the car, "Blair! I can't afford all this food. How are you paying for all this?"

"You know the old saying, 'can't take it with you?' Well. I have been blessed with the money from ghost robbers that learned that the hard way. I have a $37 million bank account under my name. All thanks to bank robbers that have been dead for over 200 years. 

"When I turned 18 I decided to find myself by traveling all over the States. Armed with nothing but Ichabod and a bedroll. I found a handful of ghost towns that housed some pitiful spooks that wanted to finally cross over.

"Meet some ghostly members of the Wild Bunch, the Regulators, the Cowboys, and meet the ghost of 'Three Finger Jack' himself. All of them pointed to a spot where they hid their undiscovered loot. They gave it to me in good standing and with a promise that I would be taken care of financially."

"So you're rich?" James' eyes widened, "Why were you looking for a job if you didn't need to work?"

"After so long of living off the land. I came to enjoy the simplest way of life. I wasn't really looking for a job. But I was searching for something, I just don't know what."

"Are you still looking for yourself?"

"No, Dr. Harvey. I have found myself and I like the person in the mirror. What I am looking for might be as simple as a place to call my own. Or something more complicated like my soulmate. Who knows? Maybe what I am looking for is Nirvana."

"Whatever it is you are looking for, I wish you luck in your search." Casper reaches out to hug Blair. "And I truly hope you find happiness after your search ends."

"Thank you, Casper."

***

Stretch sat on the top of the lighthouse that was near the mansion. Usually, this is Casper's spot when he wants to be alone with his thoughts. Stretch figured that Casper wouldn't mind as he was in deep thought. Thinking about freckles, red hair, and the taste of spearmint. He was also thinking of what to do next with Short Sheets.

Amelia said that Casper has to answer to a Call tonight. Will this keep him in arms reach or will this encourage the Higher Plains to take him away? He simply didn't know, but Amelia never steered them wrong before.

"Mr. McFadden?" Stretch opened his eyes and turned to the familiar voice of Ms. Banshee. "Mind if I join you?"

Holy fuck! Ms. Banshee wants to sit with Stretch? "If you want to, it would be my pleasure." The ghosty educator sat down next to Stretch, "What can I do for you, Ms. Banshee?"

"Blair met me this morning before school started." Not beating around the bush today. Not that she ever did before.

"I take it this is about Casper being a Tutelar Spirit?"

"How long have you known?"

"Since his death."

Ms. Banshee's eyes widened, "Why haven't you told me when you enroll him at my school? Do your brothers know what Casper is?"

Stretch laughed, "My brothers learned about Casper this morning." He gave a deep sigh and looked at the darkening horizon. The lights of the lighthouse started to flicker on. "I have been protecting him before he was even born. Did you know that I remembered my death, Ms. Banshee?"

The teacher shook her head. "How did you died?"

"Casper's mother was a beautiful woman. I was so jealous of my brother, J.T. Every woman I had a yearning for J.T. won. Including my childhood friend, Ellie. Ellie was pregnant with Casper when she decided to take a walk in the park. I was doing some errands nearby and noticed that she was there with some thugs that were harassing her. I got between them and Ellie. You know the pond in Friendship Park?"

"Oh yes. It is very beautiful. Especially during the winter months."

"It was February and the pond was frozen, but was closed off for it not being safe to ice-skate. Ellie ran on the ice trying to get away from the men, if you can call them that. They ran after her and didn't notice that they were breaking the ice. 

"I stayed at the edge running after them. I saw the bridge and ran on it. Luckily I was faster than the bulky meatheads that were after Ellie. I took Ellie's hand and pulled her up, but one of the fuckers got a hold of her ankle.

"I looked at her and told her to hold on to the rail. I jumped off the bridge, I broke through the ice and took those muggers down with me to a watery grave. I remembered my Spirit leaving my body and watch with sick satisfaction when I saw the Shadows of Hell dragging Ellie's attackers to the Lower Plains."

"You remember all of that, since your death? But that means you are a Class IV." 

Stretch smiled, "Actually you would be wrong. I am more powerful than that."

Banshee looks at Stretch with more respect. She placed her hand over Stretch's cheek and pulled him into a kiss. Stretch held her closer to him and aimed to deepen the kiss. 

Finally! After years of him and his two brothers fighting over her. She finally had chosen. He finally won the girl.

But it didn't feel right. Banshee was an amazing kisser, but she was missing something that Stretch couldn't figure out. It was until he opened his eyes and saw Banshee's inky black eyes that he realized what was wrong. 

Ms. Banshee was cold instead of warm. She was pale with white hair instead of colorful with fiery red hair. Her eyes were pools of black instead of warm emeralds that turns icy when angered.

Mrs. Banshee is not Blair O'Brien.

Stretch pulled her at arm's length, "I can't. I am sorry Ms. Banshee. I just can't, not while I am thinking about someone else."

Banshee looked at him as he hides his face with his hands and muttered a curse or two. This was different. He and his brothers have been chasing her tail since the day they meet for a parent-teacher conference. 

Time never matters to the Dead. She realized that it not entirely true to this case. She played hard to get for so long that now he wants someone else. But she had a sneaky suspicion who the lucky lady was, "Blair is a sweet girl, even when she shows her claws. And very attractive as well."

Stretch looked at her with a shocked expression, "How?"

"Come now, Stretch. Everyone sees her desirable. Even I must admit that I did this morning." Banshee gave a cute little laugh, but then she paused. "Stretch? You said that you are more powerful than Class IV?"

"Yeah, but I ain't-"

"Are you a Class VII Poltergeist?"

Stretch grabbed Banshee by the arms and looked at her with fearful wide eyes, "How do you know about that?"

"Some fleshy is looking for a Class VII Poltergeist last night! I saw him again this morning talking to Blair. I didn't think anything of it." Banshee covered her mouth as she gasped, "He wasn't a demon, was he?"

"Banshee. I am going to the house and check on Casper and the others."

"I am going with you!"

***

The said demon was enjoying a cup of joe as he smiled at the teenager at the register. The girl was polite but had spunk. He can tell that she has been around ghost for a while by the way she occasionally has a mischievous look in her eyes and the occasional slip of old fashioned dead slang.

Kat was a sweetheart. She mistook him for a poor schmuck down on his luck and got out of her way to pay for a small black so he can have a place to sit. Of course, the Demon didn't blame her for the judgment. He was dressed like a bum after all. He truly hopes his future children will be just like her and couldn’t wait to return to his wife back home.

"WHAT IS THIS GARBAGE!?" The Demon was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that something was wrong. He looked up and saw Kat drenched in what appears to be hot coffee. 

Oh Hell no.

A manager walked to the cashier, "Sir. I apologized for the inconvenience. Let me give you a refund."

Oh, Hell Fucking No!

The Demon got up and slammed his fist on the counter, "Are you out of your Fucking Mind?!"

"Sir. Please calm down."

"No! I will not! Your employee just got assaulted and your solution is to reward the man that attacked her?" He turned towards the sound of a chair falling over and saw the attacker on the floor. "Don't go anywhere!" He was glad the coffee shop was currently being haunted by two ghosts that apparently likes Kat as much as he does.

Just then a police officer walked in, "What is going on here?"

Before the manager said anything the assistant manager was in front of the officer, "The man on the floor just threw a cup of hot coffee at one of our high school student employees."

The Demon turned to Kat, "Highschool? How old are ya Kid?"

"Sixteen…"

"YOU!" The manager had a look of sick satisfaction as the officer charged up to the Demon only for the smile to drop in disbelief. "Sir! You might not remember me, but you saved me and my family a few months back five towns from here."

"No no. I remembered you, Officer Jenkins. How is the family doing after all that horrific business?"

"My youngest hates camping now, I think my oldest might be Strange and Unusual, and the wife is now obsessed with ghost stories. Not that I am one to judge, I have been reading the Handbook front and back since the bureau gave it to me and the family."

"Standard near-death PTSD shit." The Demon gave the officer a wink. The sound of a table being knocked over caused the officer’s and Demon’s attention towards the attacker, "I told ya not to go anywhere!" The Demon turned back to the officer, "Once you get everything you need from Kat here, I wanna get her home."

The officer's attention focused on the teenager, "Miss. I need your full name, address, and home phone number." After Kat wrote the information down the officer smiled, "Miss Harvey? This man is very trustworthy and will take you home safely. Please clock out and the office will call your parents or guardian in the morning."

"You can't do that!" The manager was fuming. "My employee can't clock out unless I tell them to! And I didn't give her permission!"

The officer took out some handcuffs, "Sir. Mind if I reminded you that the Child Labor Law of Main states that a minor of sixteen to seventeen can't work passed 10:15 PM on a school night. It is now 10:20. Do you want to be arrested for violating the Labor Laws?"

The Demon smirked and turned his attention on the teenager, “Do you need to change your shirt before heading home?”

Kat shook her head, “No Sir. The coffee mainly hit my apron.” She lifted her ruined uniform apron that she had in her hand. “I am also wearing a gel pack on my burn area.”

“Gel pack… or ghost pack?” The Demon winked at the wide-eyed young lady, “Don’t worry kid. Not gonna tell a soul.”

After they went outside the teenager was squealing, “THIS CAN’T BE YOUR CAR!” 

The Demon lead them to a classic red Plymouth Fury. The Demon chuckled and fluffed her hair, “In a way, you are kinda right. Christen here belongs to my friend and I tend to borrow her from time to time.” After they got in the car the Demon asked for Kat’s address. The car just pulled out of the parking lot and on the main road when the Demon smiled, “Okay you spooks! You can come out of hiding.”

Pearl’s head popped out of Kat’s shirt, “Hya! Name’s Pearl. Hooo… it is a nice car ya have here Mister.”

“Pearl…” Kat hugged the cute blonde ghost and tried to hide her embarrassed face using Pearl’s transparent hair.

Spooky popped out from the backseat, “You okay there, Toots?”

“I’m fine…”

The Demon was definitely growing fond of the three kids in the car with him. He gave a hearty laugh, “I hope my kids turn out like you guys.”

“You have kids, Mister?”

“Not yet. My wife and I are getting a second wedding in a few weeks. Our first one wasn’t… that great… So we are making a do-over! And this time I am planning to stick around.”

Kat looked at the Demon with interest, “What happened to the first one?”

"Nothing I want to talk about. But I will tell ya this, being separated from her for ten years was no picnic."

"Ten years? Wow!" They pulled up to the gates of Whipstaf, "This is my stop. Thanks for the ride!"

"Guess again Kat. I have beaten werewolves that like to sneak up on humans while they are at their doorstep." The Demon lifted his hand and the gates opened.

"Wait? Werewolves? And how did you…"

"I'm a Demon, Kid."

"Wha-? Demon?"

"He's a Demon, Dollface... Keep up."

"Ain't demons soul-sucking evil monsters though? You are way too nice and Officer Jenkins practically deemed you a hero."

"You're right at all three accounts." He pulled the car in front of the house and Blinked to Kat's door to open it, "Most demons are evil monsters, but there are a few like me who are demons by birth or circumstances. There is a whole town full of folks like me who are the ones the Boogeyman looks under his bed for."

"Oh!" Pearl was smiling with stars in her eyes as Kat was getting out of the car, "You're from Porta Inferni!"

"Porta Inferni? Is that the name of the town you were talking about?" Kat came to the door, "Since you came to the house to prevent me from getting jumped by werewolves, I can offer you some coffee or something?"

"I thank you for the offer, Kid. But I’m looking for someone. A Class VII Poltergeist.”

“The Trio never told me about a Class System! But Stretch knows every ghost in town. You can ask him.”

“Stretch? As in Stretch McFadden?” The Demon's eyes went from excitement one brief moment to extremely sad the next. “Hey Kat? I think I want that coffee you offered earlier.”

Spooky noticed the change, “Hey, Mister? What’s wrong?”

“The moment Stretch smells me in his house, you’ll find out.”

Kat turned towards the Demon, “What do you mean?”

“KIDS!!! GETAWAY FROM THAT DEMON!!!” Stretch appeared and wrapped his arms around the kids and used his stretching abilities put them to the farthest part of the room without leaving his spot in front of the Demon. Ms. Banshee stayed with the kids. Stretch sneered angrily at the Demon, “It has been over a hundred years since you and I parted ways. Why did you decide to show up now, Betelgeuse?” 

The Ghost with the Most looks at his old partner with a look of desperation, “Stretch? I need your help.”


	3. The Tutelar's Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casper meets Janet from Porta Inferni!
> 
> (For Janet's POV check out Necessary Evil Chapter 11)

The Ghost with the Most looks at his old partner with a look of desperation, “Stretch? I need your help.”

"Whatever it is, the answer is NO."

"Stretch, Please. Hear me out at least."

"No!" Stretch pulled Betelguse's collar, "Whatever scheme, con, or plot you are up to I will not help ya with it."

"I know I deserved that, but trust me. It's not a-"

"HI! I am Casper!" Betelgeuse jumped at the loud voice of the Tutelar Spirit. "Sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to do that."

"It's okay Kid. Normally jump scares aren't the kind of thing Tute-" Betelgeuse stopped and his eyes widened with realization, "Ah Fuck! Nope! Nopenopenopenopenope! Nope! This is not happening. You are not getting a Call from me!"

Casper looked down, "But Sir, I AM feeling a Call from you." Casper grabbed the demon 's hand, "I won't force you to accept my help, but I am getting a Call from you."

Amelia's voice echoed in Stretch's head, ‘Tonight, Casper will answer an important Call. This Call would be connected to your past but you must put your pride aside and help your nephew.’

"What's the matter, old partner? Something wrong with my nephew?"

"Oh God! He's… He's your nephew? The nephew that I… that just-" Betelgeuse turned keel and walked to the front door, "I'll see my way out. Sorry for wasting your time."

Stretch flew in front of Betelgeuse, "Not so fast! I am curious about how a poltergeist turned demon is turning tail on someone who actually wants to help. Not that I will let my nephew anywhere near ya unsupervised."

"It's complicated." 

Amelia's voice was ringing in Stretch's mind as loud as if she was telling it in his ears, ‘This Call is sensitive but very important.’

"Hey now. I think I might have changed my mind and will hear ya out. Come on! What got ya running scared? Tell. Me. Now!”

“There are kids in the Lost Souls Room!”

"Come again?"

"For the past three days, there have been children between the ages nine through nineteen that had been appearing in the Lost Souls Room. I am on a mission to find out why and stop it."

".... If this is a sick joke it isn't funny. The Higher Plains would interfere if a child’s ghost is being exercised and force a crossover… There have never been kids in the Lost Souls Room."

"Which is why this mission is a Classified SAF."

"Classified SAF?"

"Sensitive as Fuck."

Stretch started to laugh, "Now I know you are lying!"

A movie version of a bloody scream came out of Betelgeuse’s pocket. "Dammit…" He pulled out a phone, "Freddy, please tell me you are calling to check up on me and not another Lost Kid."

A scruffy voice was heard from the phone, loud enough for Stretch to listen in on the conversation, "Sorry Betel, but I got a call from Janet. She somehow heard about the Lost Kids. She thinks they're the kids that she was looking for."

"What do you mean? Uncle Freddy? What is wrong?!"

"She said that the Death Deities took her in to stop a cult from kidnapping kids from all over the States. She found the church in Virgil, Michigan, but still can't find the kids. At least not the kids that didn't come back all braindead."

"What does 'living' kids have to do wi- No. Impossible! And even if it was possible that is just sick! Are you fucking telling me that the Lost Kids are Alive!"

Every ghost in the room got real quiet. Kids in the Lost Souls Room? Unheard of! Living kids in the Lost Souls Room? That's terrifying even for a ghost!

"That's what she said… Think you can talk to your partner about coming back to Porta Inferni?"

"Janet is stubborn. She'll come back when she feels like it. But she did promise to be my Best Man so she'll be back soon."

"I hope so. See ya back home after the mission is done. And Janet said to bring back up."

"Later Uncle Freddy." Betelgeuse put away his phone and turned just to be nose to nose with Stretch. "Ummm… A little space, please?"

"Who was that on the phone?"

"Uncle Freddy Krueger? Head Elder of Porta Inferni?" Stretch kelp staring at the Snake Demon which was making the said demon very uncomfortable. Betelgeuse gently pushed Stretch away from him, "Look! I know I fucked up. But this isn't about you, me, or Casper. This is about kids needing help. Kids that are trapped in a place kids SHOULDN'T even be at. Kids that might still be alive."

"Funny that you now care about kids that should still be alive."

Betelgeuse Blinked in front of Kat and handed her a calling card, "The chant only works for the living. But if you need any help just read the card out loud."

Ms. Banshee wrapped her arms around the human teen, "I doubt Ms. Harvey will need any of your 'help,' Mr. Betelgeuse."

Pearl shook her head. "But Ms. Banshee he's pretty cool. He even gave Kat a ride home."

"Just because he's a demon?" Even Spooky was upset that no one wanted to help the Snake Demon.

"There is more to it than just him being a demon, Children." Ms Banshee tightens her hold on the ghost children and Kat. "It's the fact that Mr. McFadden doesn't trust him is why I don't."

Betelguese looked at the old school ghost, "Smart. A little bit old fashioned and biased, but smart. Trust is a fragile thing and I have broken it so many times that it would be impossible to build it again." He turned to head out the door and gave a small sad smile towards his old haunting partner, "I'll come back in the morning, please let me know what you decide on doing."

***

"Why wouldn't you help Betelgeuse? How did you two meet? Did you know him from before Casper died? What is the Lost Souls Room? Why is it important that there are kids in there?"

"KAT! Calm down a bit, please."

That shut her up. Stretch McFadden doesn't say 'please'. At least not without a sarcastic patronizing tone. But the sheer honest plea in his voice was so unsettling that it silenced the entire room. Three living humans and six spirits in the library office was just staring at him with wide eyes.

Stretch sat down on the therapy couch with his fingers rubbing his temples, "I met that bastard in the Waiting Room after I died. The bureau was having a hay day with me. They were arguing whether or not my death was suicidal."

Ms. Banshee flinched at the thought, "That isn't right, you sacrificed your life for Casper's mother."

Stretch chuckled, but it was humorless. "That's what Juno said."

Dr. Harvey pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Who is Juno?"

"A no-nonsense, sourpuss of a woman and a Caseworker. She was having a shouting match with a Superior. But while that was happening here comes Betelgeuse with a stack of papers telling me to sign them and had me read a very detailed letter about my death and asked me if that was correct or needs any changes added."

"I take it that Betelgeuse was also a Caseworker?" Dr. Harvey asked.

"Caseworker's Assistant, Juno's Assistant. When she found out what he was up to it was already too late. He turned the paperwork to the higher-ups, the royal family, and the Higher Plains. Juno was furious!

"Apparently, Betelgeuse has a gift of cutting through the RedTape. Causing a lot of trouble for the bureaucratic. But I was grateful. He got me out of being a Caseworker and gave me a Free Rein Haunting Permit on top of that. We became friends, haunting partners."

Stretch got up and hugged Casper, "But that all changed one night. Time in the Waiting Room is different then time in the human realm. What felt like days was really years. Casper, you were so little but was so adventurous. I never had a chance to say goodbye to your mother before she crossed over. As much as I wanted to follow her I wanted to stay and protect you."

"Am I your Unfinished Business, Uncle Stretch?"

Stretch coddled his nephew while chucking, "I guess you are. I already missed a couple of years, so seeing you grow and change was already too fast for me. I was always there after that, but I made sure you and your father didn't see me. I even saw how you wanted that sled and how much your father really wanted to get it for you. But he couldn't afford it." 

Stretch face went from soft to hard in seconds, "Betelgeuse found out. He used his borrowed demon powers to make the sled more… tempting. The idiot didn't even know how to control the demonic powers he stole. The Temptation was so strong that my brother used the last of his money to pay for the damn thing. The Temptation was so strong that you kept sledding. The Temptation even made your father turn a blind eye to you playing after dark. 

"My brother is many things but irresponsible is not one of them. When I found out about the curse on the sleigh I became very angry. I blamed Betelgeuse for your death. I still do. If it wasn't for the Temptation, you might have lived.

"Even if he didn't mean to, he still killed ya. When you died I was so angry that I became a poltergeist. And my anger was getting worse when my other brothers were drinking themselves to death after you died. 

"But the straw that broke the camel's back was when your father disappeared for months, came back, built that machine in the basement, and got himself thrown in an asylum. I cut all ties with my old partner."

James Harvey was having a hard time not being a therapist at that moment. Here his friend was in an emotional turmoil and all he could think to say, "How are you feeling?" Dr. Harvey wanted to kick himself.

Stretch smiled at the human, "You asking as a friend?"

Dr. Harvey recognized the question as an out. He got up from the desk and pulled his friend into a hug with Casper sandwich in-between them. Dr. Harvey let go just in time for the brothers to have their own moment.

That was before Kat noticed something moving out the window, "Um, guys? I think someone is spying on us?"

The sound of broken glass followed by a bright light and a cackling laugh. "Hello Boys! The Bitch is Back!" A woman appeared with pale skin, red libs, and black catty eyes. The last time Dr. Harvey and the Ghostly Trio saw her she was alive and trying to get rid of the brothers. The last time Kat and Casper saw her she was being blown up by the rays of light coming out of her incorporeal form. 

Carrigan Crittenden was back. And she looks… alive… At least she would have looked alive if it wasn't for the fact that her eyes were black. Even the whites of her eyes.

"Hey, Bonebags! Get the girl and the Tutelar."

Men in robes came in through the broken windows that Crittenden caused by her Travel Circle. They were also wearing Netherlands artifacts.

Where the fuck they got those?

One Cultist was using spirit beads with a Saint Benedict Medal attached at the end like a whip and started swinging it at the ghosts. "Ms. Banshee! Get the kids out of here!" Blair stepped in front of the whip and as the beads wrapped around her arm she started to chant a prayer in Gaelic. Blue light came from the beads and burned the Cultist to a crisp. "Bloody Idiot didn't even know how to use this properly." Blair twisted her wrist and the beads danced around her like a sentient being. She made it look so easy to control the string of holy relics. Just point and the beads obeyed her.

Nonetheless, Kat and Casper were having the dickens trying to join Ms. Banshee, Spooky, and Pearl. Every time the kids and the deceased teacher were in arms-length a Cultist would get in the way. The five of them dodged left and right but couldn't get away from the lunatics.

Even the Trio and Blair were having a hard time fighting them off. The Trio's usual scare tactics didn't even faze these guys. And Blair, even though she is skilled with Netherland Artifacts was simply outnumbered.

Eventually, the horrid blonde grabbed Dr. James Harvey. "Give me the human girl and the Tutelar! Or this worm dies!"

"Dad!" Kat's eyes widened with fear. She held Casper's hand as they both looked at the man whose life was threatened by this black-eyed bitch.

Crittenden's black nails grew long and sharp, "Come here, Brats! Or the good doctor will be fitted for a brand new coffin!" To make her point she stabbed a nail into Dr. Harvey's cheek. A drop of blood trailed down his face and neck.

"Daddy! Stop!" Without thinking, Kat ran towards her old nemesis.

Casper grabbed her hand, she didn't even notice that she let go of him, "Kat! She's lying!" But it was too late. Kat was captured and had dragged Casper with her.

The evil woman smiled wickedly as she used her claws to rip Doc's throat to shreds in one quick move. His daughter and friends looked on in shock as he fell in a heap of flesh in a pool of blood. He choked on his blood as his sight failed him. He tried to reach for his child, but he didn't have the strength. The light in his eyes went out. Dr. James Harvey, the Great Therapist of the Dead, died for the second time.

Kat tried to run to her father's corpse, but Crittenden's held her grip on the human and ghost. Something in Kat snapped with tears in her eyes. She cried for help in the form of the chant on the calling card that is still clenched in her hand.

"Though I know I should be wary,  
Still I venture someplace scary,  
Ghostly hauntings I turn loose!  
Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!"

The room darkened and a storm appeared out of nowhere, the famous demon in a striped suit and black boots appeared with a showman's smile, "IT'S SHOWTIME!"

Kat gasped at her new friend's true appearance, "Hey Kat! That was a little fast for Stretch to ch-" Betelgeuse looked down at the kids in the gripping hands of the foul woman. His smile dropped at the sight of the body on the floor. "Hey! Hell Escapee! Let the kids go if you know what's good for ya."

The woman laughed, "You think I am afraid of a lesser demon?"

Lesser demon? Heh. She doesn't know anything about demons.

"What makes you so sure I am a lesser demon?"

"My Master freed me from the icy cold pit of Hell, any demon that doesn't smell of brimstone and ice is a lesser demon."

The Ghost with the Most smirked. "Have you met any demons outside of the Lowest Level of the Lower Plains?"

"My Master."

"That's what I thought. Satan must have been asleep or bored to let you out of his sight." He lifted his hand and a large mallet appeared. "Let the kids go before I educate ya."

The Escapee narrowed her eyes, "I must admit. I can always recognize a fellow conman. And you… you're bluffing." And with a smile a Travel Circle appeared at her feet.

Betelgeuse's feet moved before he even noticed, "No!" When the woman and kids disappeared he kneeled to the floor, "FUCK!" He failed. He failed to save the kids. He knew that it was his fault that the kids are gone.

"Stretch?" Blair's voice cut the silence like a knife. 

Betelgeuse looked up and noticed that the bitch left her goons behind, and Stretch was looking at his hands. His were changing, they were becoming more solid and had five fingers on each hand.

Frosty mist appeared around him as the leader of the Ghostly Trio was getting taller and more solid. His nose was becoming smaller but still has his signature hawk like hook. He had black hair that was slicked back. His tail was replaced by long legs. He was dressed in a black three piece suit with a winged collar and a thin ribbon around his neck tied in a loose bow. 

"Where are they?" If it wasn't for his violet eyes and Boston accent no one would believe that the icey spirit was the notorious leader of the Ghostly Trio. Frost was growing from his feet and had reached the nearest Cultist who's collar got grabbed by said poltergeist. "Where did she take the kids?"

Shards of ice formed in the air around the room pointed to everything that has a heartbeat. "Stretch?" Blair was getting worried as a shard was pointing at her chest. "Stretch? Please?" She closed her eyes and did the unthinkable. She Blinked.

Stretch wasn't prepared for a warm, soft body to tackle him down. Knocking the unnecessary wind from his nonexistent lungs. The shards shot out and hit every Cultist in the room.

"Blair?" Stretch finally snapped out of his anger, "Oh fuck, Blair! Are you okay?" He grabbed Blair by the shoulders as he looked her over for any damages. He gave out a sigh of relief as he changed back to his incorporeal form.

"Fuck Stretch, glad you still got it. But that doesn't help us much right now." Stretch looked at Betelgeuse with a venomous sner. Betelgeuse shrugged and pulled out his cellphone, "Hey, Officer Jenkins? Can you, Lily, and Jimmy come to Whipstaff?... Yes… Deadite Level of Bad. We might need some bleach… Yeah… about fifteen bodies… one of them is Dr. Harvey… Don't know. He might wake up soon or he's in the Waiting Room… I don't think he crossed over…"

"Yep didn't cross over. Not with my daughter with those freaks." Everyone turned to the voice of the late Dr. Harvey. Full Torso and all.

Betelgeuse returned to his phone call, "Annnnnd he's awake. And it looks like he remembers… Matt, Matt, Matt. When you have me around ya don't need shovels, just disposable gloves, bleach, some scrub brushes, and disposable rain jackets… Na. Na. I will worry about the hole… I already have a plan for the bodies, I just need help with the clean up… You're on your way? Awesome! Thanks for the help."

"What the Hell was that?" 

Stretch was in Betelgeuse's personal space again. Betelgeuse backed up and gave out a sigh. The Demon became completely aware of the importance of boundaries after only three months of being alive again. "Reunited with some folks I saved not so long ago. They moved here after their hometown was attacked by Deadites."

"You don't mean the Poltergeist and Deadite War, do you?" Blair's eyes widened. "You were there? But I heard that the Hand was defeated by a Phoenix and a Divine Demon…" The modern gypsy gasped when the poltergeist turned demon winked at her, "THAT WAS YOU?!"

***

"Please explain why Benjamin is here." Betelgeuse was a little disappointed in the Jenkins' for bringing their youngest son to clean up the office.

The Trio was staring with gasped mouths. Why was this family not shivering at the sight of them? The youngest was even trying to grab their tails. It was completely surreal seeing a teenager, a first grader and their parents unfazed by the carnage in the room.

"Oh, this is nothing compared to all the weird stuff he can see now." Lily Jenkins was already wearing a disposable raincoat and gloves, prepping buckets of bleach and brushed, "Ever since the war with the Deadites he has been seeing things."

Stretch's eyes widened at the family. These guys survived a Deadite attack? There is no way! Impossible! But then again didn't Betelgeuse already say these guys survived the Poltergeist and Deadite War? That would explain their thick skin.

"We didn't know if it's PTSD induced hallucinations or something else." Officer Matt Jenkins chuckled softly, "That was until Benjamin was answering questions that weren't asked and was helping finding things and returning them to their proper owners."

It's the Shining. It has to be. Betelgeuse was sure of it.

"What's Shining?"

Fuck….

"That! That right there is the Shining." Betelgeuse waved his arm, "The Shining is an array of psychic abilities. From seeing the Dead to seeing through space and time. You just now were reading my mind which is also part of the Shining." Betelgeuse picked up the little boy, "Shining Users are not the same as Mediums. Mediums can do some things that a Shining User can do, but they can also do some things that Nonhumans can do."

"I once saw Ms. Lydia float!"

Stretch looked at his old partner and noticed his face brightened like a kid thinking of Santa Claus. Who was Lydia and why did he make a face like THAT?

Betelgeuse's smile softened as he set the little tot down. "Okay kiddo, let's help your parents clean up the blood... I can't believe I said that to a six year old."

Officer Jenkins laughed, "Strange times indeed. Who would have thought that an officer of the law and his lawyer wife covering up a crime scene with their children and ghostly demon friend? Speaking of which, what were you planning on for the bodies?"

"Let's get those corpses out front." Betelgeuse grabbed two cultists by the neck and flung them out of the door that opened seemingly by itself. The others followed suit, though the Trio took extra care of Doc's body. The demon rubbed his hands together, "Check this new trick out." He stomped his foot on the ground and the earth opened up with shadowy arms and grabbed the corpses. When the ground closed up again the Ghost With the Most chuckled. "Being a Divine Demon also means I am also a kind of Gatekeeper. Cool huh?"

"Totally cool." Jimmy's smile would have put a crocodile in shame. Betel made a mental note to check on Jimmy later. Didn't want to embarrass the suicidal kid.

"What's suicidal?" Fuck.

Luckily a movie style scream came out of Betelgeuse's pocket. He fished his cell phone out grateful for the change. Only to frown at the name of the one contacting him. "Janet?"

"Who the fuck is Janet? This is the third time I have heard of that name." Stretch eyed his old partner with suspicion.

Benjamin tugged the ghost's tail, "Mr. Juice's sister. She's cool. She can turn into fire and fly."

Jimmy laughed at the poor spirit who was trying to shake the kid off his tail. "Betelgeuse's partner kinda adopted him. Janet is a phoenix, hence the fire and flying."

"You were also wondering about Lydia? She's nice!" Benjamin got bored of his little game of catch the tail. "She and Mr. Juice are getting married!" Stretch raised a nonexisting eyebrow, but didn't say anything else.

"Betel? I got Kat and Casper. They're safe with me." Betelgeuse's eyes widened and threatened to become moist.

"Thank the Higher Plains..." He covered his phone with his hand, "Hey guys, my partner got the kids. Casper and Kat are safe."

"Mighty convenient." Stretch wasn't buying it. How the hell did a complete stranger with connections to his old partner got the kids?

Betelgeuse's partner continued, "Come straight to Virgil, Michigan. Don't contact me. Don't be all showy. Our enemies think I am a witch and I want them to keep thinking that. In fact, if anyone asks you're my Familiar."

"Go straight to Michigan. Be discrete. I'm your Familiar. Got it! Thank you, Sis. We'll see you as soon as we get to Virgil." He hung up his phone and looked at the Ghostly Quar-dead. "I am going to make a Travel Circle. The five of us will be going to Michigan."

Before Blair said anything the ghost of Dr. Harvey pulled her into a hug, "I know you're a badass and you want to help Blair. But I want you and the others here to take care of things." He looked her in the eyes and gave a sad smile.

The look Dr. Harvey gave her broke her heart, "Okay. I'll stay." She gave her best badass sassy smirk, "Besides! Gotta check out the loot those guys had. I think I saw a ceremonial dagger among the Netherlands Artifacts."

Stinky looks at the pile of artifacts on the desk, "I'm going to call Snivel. Fleshies with this many artifacts is definitely bad news." Stinky called King Kibosh's sidekick from his cell. 

"Hey, Snivel? You guys are missing any artifacts?" Stinky moved the phone from his head. The sound of yelling was heard from the receiver. "We have some artifacts from some demon worshipers… Yeah… Thanks! You're a pal, Snivel." 

"You're buddy buddies with the King's minion?" Betelgeuse raised an eyebrow at the putrid spook.

Stinky gave him a wink, "More like neutral unorthodox frenemies."

"Then I better get that Circle made. Last thing I need is Kibosh knowing that I am here."

***

The circle was done. Betelgeuse got behind the wheel of the red '58 Plymouth Fury. Stretch sat/float shotgun with this bothers and the Doc in the back.

Doc looked at Blair, "We'll be back. You take care of things here."

Blair nodded as the ghosts drove through the circle and disappeared in a flash of colored light.

The car stopped by the welcome sign on the border of the town of Virgil, Michigan. "Ahhhh. Wasn't really aiming this close to the border." Betelgeuse had the car's top rolled down as he looked around. "Need to work on my circles."

"Aye thought yer circle was marvelous, Laddie!" The group eyed a door on the top of the welcome sign. If the door was closed, you would have thought it was a decorative piece. When opened it reveals the fact that it is actually a lookout.

"Hey Old Cobbler! What are you doing there?" The brown wrinkled skinned Leprechaun smiled at Betelgeuse. He was as ugly as sin. His toothy grin was sharp and black.

"The town is under a Veil. Human and monsters separate by Ward. Under moon so Pail. One can enter by password!"

Stinky laughed, "That rhyme reeks more than me!"

"Yeah… I have been hearing that shitty poem for three months now." Everyone turned their attention to the voice on the hood of the car. "Seriously, can't you improve it somehow? Ya can't rhyme 'ward' with 'password,' Shoemaker."

"Janet!" Betelgeuse closed his mouth. He was so excited to see his partner that he forgot to act his part. But Janet Kingsburg smiled at her friend, reassuring that she already has a plan.

"'Ello, Lady Janet. Are these outsiders yours?" The Leprechaun sneered at the white haired woman.

"My familiar was fetching the guardians of some kids I found."

"Lassie, yer and me both know that yer don't find children. Quite the Baba Yagga yer are. Stealing little ones from demons…" The Fae stopped as if he noticed something. "Lady Janet? Your familiar seems a little informal."

"Familiar or not, I hate formalities with my lovers."

"Lovers!"

"Believe it or not but Betelgeuse here is a Snake Demon."

"What does that mean exactly?" The Leprechaun asked with a hiss through his teeth. Betelgeuse floated up to the Leprechaun and whispered in his ear. "What the hell is a Hemi-" More whispering and Leprechaun's eyes bugged out. And snapped his eyes back to the Demon and then snapped back to the ageless woman.

"Yep! I am super kinky."

"How the- Nevermind that!" The Leprechaun points to the woman, "Password!"

"Back to back, ghoul, belly to belly. Well, I don't give a damn 'cause I'm stone dead already. Let's dance to the Zombie Jamboree."

"Yer missing a verse… and yer were just talking it through instead of singing it…" The ugly little man was not amused. With a heavy sigh he snapped his fingers and the Veil lifted so the group may come through.

The town looked normal until you noticed humans and nonhumans mingling throughout the streets. Janet, still on the hood of the car, led them to a four story roach motel. 

After parking Janet led them past a pool where a siren waved at her. It amused Betel to no end that Janet was living in another town similar to the one they call home. The surrogate sister of the Snake Demon took them upstairs to her room.

She opened the door and gave a sigh of relief at the sight of the teen and ghost asleep on the bed. "They're asleep. May I suggest Betel and I speak with the heads of the household while the others watch the kids?"

Doc and Stretch looked at each other and gave an understanding nod. 

Betelgeuse, Stretch, Doc and the strange woman stayed outside while Stinky and Fatso went inside with the kids.

"Not going to lie, boys. This is truly fucked up." The woman leaned against the railing as if to say 'fuck you all, I am done with bullshit.' "If my friends and I didn't make it… I know for a fact that Kat would have been hurt."

That pissed Stretch off, "Kat? What about my nephew? You think he wouldn't be hurt?"

Betelgeuse gave his old partner the same 'totally done' look, "Stretch. She meant that Kat would have been raped."

Wait? What?

"She, Janet… She has been a victim all of her life. She knows the signs to watch for." He turned his attention back to Janet, "Knowing you… You did a rape test, didn't ya?"

"The test came back negative. I made it just in time, but it looked like they were preparing to do something to Kat. When I saw her, she was hunched over Casper, yelling at me not to touch him." 

Janet stared down at Stretch. Not backing down, not showing any fear, and not taking any crap, "Kat was willing to sacrifice her body and her life to protect your nephew. With a friendship like that, of course I would be more worried about a living girl over a dead boy. Because the girl was giving her all for him!"

Dr. Harvey noticed that Betelgeuse had a look in his eyes, almost the same look he sees Kat or Casper give to one another when the other is having a hard time. The Snake Demon was moving his arm as if contemplating whether or not he should grab the white haired woman's hand.

"My-my! You really like picking fights with everyone you meet, don't you?" A ghoulish lady appeared with a bag in her hands.

"Oh! Hi, Luna. Are these the clothes for Kat?" Luna passed Janet the bag. "Thanks for your help."

Luna smiled, "No problem. But I would have to take disciplinary action if I think you and your guests are out of control."

"Understood, Luna!" She smiled and turned back where she came from.

"She's the one who runs the motel?" Dr. Harvey nodded in the direction that the girl disappeared to.

Janet chuckled, "More like the daughter of the motel's manager. But it wouldn't surprise me if she does end up inheriting the motel from the owners. She's very likeable ... " Her eyes clouded over and in a serious tone, "And very scary… Saw her take down a minotaur once by shoving two fingers up his nose and pulled him down by his nostrils."

Betelgeuse laughed, "Ouches!"

"Even her father, who is a full-blooded ghoul, is afraid of her." Janet turned her attention back to the demon and ghosts with her, "But that is not why we are out here. The demon…"

"Would my daughter have been sacrificed to the demon?"

"Yes. If I didn't make it in time. Casper also, most likely."

"I can't speak for Stretch, but I would like to stay to help." Janet and Dr. Harvey shook hands, "My name is Dr. James Harvey."

"Janet. Janet Kingsburg. We should rest. Never know what tomorrow brings."

***

"Black. Tower. Knight of Wands Reversed. Five Cups. Ten Swords. Six Pentacles Reversed. Black. Tower. Knight of Wands Reversed. Five Cups. Ten Swords. Six Pentacles Reversed. Black. Tower. Knight of Wands Reversed. Five Cups. Ten Swords. Six Pentacles Reversed." 

"JANET! Wake up!" Everyone woke up to Janet chanting in her sleep and Betelgeuse shaking her awake. "Dammit Janet! Wake up!"

Like a rocket Janet got up from her chair that she was sleeping on and her entire body turned up in flames. Her white hair became long pillars of fire, her hands and feet turned to talons that normally belongs to birds of prey and the fire on her back turned to wings.

"Janet! Snapped out of it! It's me! Sis! Wake up!" Betelgeuse's arms were raised in defense as he kept yelling at her.

"Betel?" Janet turned back to herself. Well… not entirely. She burnt her clothes to ash. But she shrugs it off like it happens every Tuesday.

Betelgeuse's hands were on her shoulders, "Damnit Sis. I thought that vision was over."

"Sorry, but that vision apparently wasn't about the Deadites."

"Nice rack." Stretch sneered at the woman that he learned to dislike. "Hurry it up and get dress! There's kids here." Stretch couldn't figure out what is wrong with this woman. Strutting her stuff in front of kids. Fucking pervert.

Casper giggled at the nonsense his uncle was saying since he was sharing a bed with a half naked Kat last night. But he didn't say anything about it.

"I am not a Pervert." Janet looked at Stretch. Did she just… "Read your mind? Can't help it if you're so Open. As for my natural charm you dislike so much, I always burned my clothes so much that I kinda got used to it. I guess that makes me a naturist if not a nudist." She found an old sundress and draped it over her.

Dr. Harvey shrugged, not really offended about the display, "I guess it really depends if you feel sexual or asexual during nudity."

"Ohhhhhhh! She is definitely feel asexual when it comes to nudity!" A voice came from under one of the beds. Everyone but Janet stared at the bed Kat and Casper was occupying.

{Not necessarily. From what I gather, she never had a healthy sex life till she moved to Porta Inferni. How she can feel comfortable in the buff with her history of rape I have no idea.} A Class I Vapor entity came as a disembodied voice.

"Myst! You dawg!" A blue claw-like hand came out from the bed and lifted the frame as if it weighed nothing. "You just helped me win 50 bucks!"

Kat tumbled off the bed, "Epp! Maurice!"

The blue skinned monster came out. "Oh crud! Sorry Kat!" The Doc and Trio didn't like the fact that a strange male monster and a Class I ghost are in the same room as the barely dressed Kathleen. But before anyone said anything the very active horned Nether Born grabbed Kat and grabbed the bag of clothes, "Hey Ms. Kingsburg? These are for Kat, right?" And like a shot he led her to the restroom and gave her the bag. "Dress like a movie star incognito! You're famous now!"

"Wait? What?" Maurice closed the restroom door and jumped on the bed she was sleeping in. "Maurice! What do you mean I am famous?!"

Maurice found the bed not to his liking literally started to crawl the walls. "Someone has been spreading rumors about a living girl who sacrificed her 'maidenhood' for a ghost kid. That means you're famous also, Casper!"

Kat came out of the restroom in leggings and a baggy but very fashionable sweater. Finish with a belt and sunglasses. "But I wasn't raped."

"Doesn't matter." Maurice landed in front of the human girl.

"IT DOES MATTER! I got lucky! But there's most likely kids that those fuck heads did successively abused. Who couldn't fight back!"

"Exactly." That stopped Kat on her tracks. Maurice grabbed her hands. "And you are right. There were many kids that Kingsburg saved that wasn't lucky. Kids that Kingsburg managed to save by the skin of her teeth. But we can't use those kids because they are safe underground with their families." 

Janet gave a deep sigh, "Maurice. There is a chance that the guardians of the kids you're trying to recruit are planning to go underground as well."

"But we need Kat and Casper! No one gave a flying fuck about the other human kids. But they are impressed by a human kid who saved a nonhuman." Maurice slumped on the floor cross-legged, "They didn't even give a shit about Hot Stuff…"

"Hot Stuff?" Betelgeuse was trying to keep his cool with the hyperactive teenager.

"The first kid Kingsburg saved. And get this. He's not even human. He's a Nether Born of devil descent. He couldn't remember his name so the gang called him Hot Stuff."

Janet lifted her hand to stop the blue teen monster. "When I saved Hot Stuff he was wearing a curse collar. He was being used as a slave and punching bag for the Cultist. Hot Stuff couldn't even talk, but I took him to the town's Mayor to remove the collar. But it has been proven to me that the Mayor is corrupted. Not only did the Mayor refuse to remove the collar, but placed him in an asylum."

"Me and the gang have been looking for proof while Ms. Kingsburg works on the other side of the Vail," Maurice got up from the floor and laid on his back on the unoccupied bed. "No luck on my end, buuuuuut…"

"You want to use Casper and Kat for what exactly?" Maurice noticed that Janet was giving him the 'be careful what you say next' look.

"I am thinkingaboutkidnappingHotStuff!"

"...What?"

"Come on Janet! We need to get Hot Stuff out of there so we can find the kids you couldn't save."

"Getting Hot Stuff as a witness and an informant would blow this case out of the water…" Janet looked at Maurice, "But there are a few things that you seem to be forgetting. One is you need to have Casper's and Kat's permission, let alone their guardians' permission. Second, what you're talking about can go sideways on all of us if your plan doesn't work. And Third, Hot Stuff, Casper, Kat, You and the others… You need to know that this is dangerous… You all can get hurt."

{That is laughable considering that you were training the New Loser Club in your free time, Janet 'Big Sis' Kingsburg. Phoenix of Porta Inferni!}

"Myst, my dude. How much Intel did you get in Kingsburg?"

{More than I got about Betelgeuse Orion the Snake. Apparently these two are the best team since Freddy Krueger and Nancy Thompson back in '87.}

"Holy shit. You two are really from Porta Inferni…" Maurice was smiling so badly his mouth resembled that of a crocodile.

{They even fought in the Poltergeist and Deadit War}

Stretch was staring at Betelgeuse. Holy fucking shit! All doubts of the demon telling the truth flew out the window at max speed. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and went nose-to-nose with the blue monster with the purple mohawk and horns. "Look kid! I am not too keen on the idea of my nephew on a suicide mission. If the demon that those cultists can send fleshies in the Lost Souls Room, I dread to think what they can do to a ghost."

"I understand that Sir. But he won't be alone. There will be four others besides Casper, Kat, and Me. These kids have lost a lot of friends and family because of those Cultists. Half of them are part human themselves."

"Which ones?" Stretch glared.

"Sir?"

"Which kids are part fleshie?"

"Wolfie, his mom is a human. He's father was an alpha werewolf. And there is Mantha! Her grandfather was a Haitian Priest…. Which explains how she was born a zombie…" Maurice made a nervous giggle.

"And the other two kids?"

"Ra is a mummy. Can turn to sand and can do cool stuff with his bandages. And there is Thatch. He is a bit of an asshole… but he is a very powerful vampire. A duke as you will."

"You're obviously a Monster Under the Bed that is hyperactive and can crawl on walls… but what else can ya do?"

"Okay. Okay. Monsters Under the Bed are limited to what scares five year olds. And in this day and age, a lot of kids are exposed to what used to make adults wet their pants. Other than social anxiety and awkwardness, most kids now don't even know what they are afraid of anymore."

"That's what I thought." Stretch laughed, "Flashlights no longer work on ya anymore, huh?"

"Please Sir. You got lucky to get your nephew back. But a lot of others' friends and families are still trapped with those freaks. Mine included."

Stretch looked at the young Netherland Born and gave a sigh. "Okay. But you're taking the Ghostly Quar-dead with ya."

"Wait? What?"

***

"So it's agreed to go in two separate groups?" Everyone nodded in agreement. As Janet continues to relay the plan, "Betelgeuse, Myst, and I are going to the other side of the Vail to meet with one of the Death Deities and see what we can get any leads on the Operator. The Trio-"

"Quar-dead."

Dr. Harvey laughed at his friend, "You are just determined for me to be part of the group."

Stretch elbowed his friend good naturedly. "You were kinda already one of us to begin with."

Stinky winked at Janet, "Don't worry. We know what to do."

"We go to the Asylum to 'get Kat committed.' then ask for a tour. And if we are lucky, the rumors about Casper and Kat will get them to treat us like VIPs." Fatso gave Kat and Casper a reassuring pats on their backs. "Hopefully, we will be distracting enough for the other kids to sneak in and get Hot Stuff."

Casper was excited with the idea of meeting kids 'close' to his age. "Where are we meeting the others?" He has been flying above everyone's head as they talked at the parking lot near Christine.

Maurice smiled and tilted his head, "I can hear Doomie coming over."

"Doomie?" Kat lifted an eyebrow at her new friend. "You didn't mention Doomie."

"Oh shit, Kat! You're right!" Maurice had a shit eating grin on his face. "Doomie is Thatch's '51 Studebaker Commander. Just like that Plymouth Fury over there, Doomie is alive."

There was a roaring sound that was getting louder. And an ugly yellowish green convertible came to view with it's top down and four monster kids laughing like maniacs! They pulled up in a screeching halt. 

The pale young goth behind the wheel gave Maurice a smirk, "Hey Asshole! Are we doing this, or what?"

"Duh, Dickwad! We even have the Ghostly Trio with us." Maurice pointed his thumb at the famous three spooks behind him. "We have Casper, Kat, and Dr. Harvey also."

"You Fucktared! Doomie can't sit all of us!" Thatch got out of the car. Followed by his three companions. "Also, why isn't Kingsburg coming with us?"

“Sorry guys. But I am giving my own version of Hell to the freaks on the other side of the Vail.”

“That reminds me…” Maurice pulled out his hand with a ‘gimme’ gesture. “You owe Wolfie and me moonies.”

A light brown haired teen with yellow eyes smiled, “Wha? Really?! Janet is from Porta Inforni?”

Thatch didn’t baudge, “No way. She’s too cool to be from Inforni.”

Janet laughed, “You only think that because every adult in town taught you to think that. Their parents even taught them that before you. Man, I wish I could take you guys there. It would be a learning experience. But we are getting sidetracked.” Janet made a loud whistle. The Plymouth Fury answered by backing out of her parking spot and slowly drove closer to the group, “Stretch and the others can take Christen.”

“Wait… Betelguse mentioned that Christen belonged to someone else.” Kat studied Janet, “No way. You’re Christen’s owner?”

“I prefer the term ‘Driver.’ Christen has her own car. I’m just a person who feeds her gas and oil and occasionally gives her rides.” Every teen looked at Janet with new admiration. “What? Stop staring and paint the town red… with the blood of our enemies…”

The kids laughed. Then Maurice jumped behind Casper and Kat, “Okay! Into time. Guys? This is Casper and Kat. These four are their guardians: Stretch, Stinky, Fatso, and Dr. James Harvey.” Then in a blink he was behind his friends, “And these guys are Thratch, Mantha, Ra, and Wolfie.”

Mantha smiled at Kat, “Finally I am no longer the only girl in the group. Soooo… Tell me your opinions on Monster equal rights.”

Kat liked the zombie girl really fast, “To be honest… I didn’t even know that was a thing! I mean, I have only been exposed to ghosts at home. And most of the ghosts think they are better than me because I am a ‘Bonebag Fleshie.’ You guys are the first real monsters I have met.”

“Oh goodie! Let me brainwash you with Monster Political Correctness and Monster Equally. Starting with: Zombies are not slow, stupid, and only a small persent of them eat brains.”

“Dad? Can I ride with Mantha?”

***

They parked the cars a good few blocks away from the mental ward and regrouped. The McFadden's and Harvey's were already heading to the building as the Monster Kids were sneaking in through the back. Apparently they have inside help that they refused to identify as a safety precaution.

A little girl with golden rag curls wearing a blue dress, sunglasses, and holding a giant lollipop wand greeted them at a desk. "Salutations! I am Little Miss Warden. Warden of Vigil Asylum! How may I help you?"

Dr. Harvey waved at the seemingly young creature. "Hello. Forgive me. I am recently deceased and your youthfulness kinda surprised me. What's your secret?"

"Well! Aren't you scrump-dilly-icious! My secret is a childlike outlook. Girls like me age by spirit, not time."

"Interesting." The memory of Casper turning into a baby while being hypnotized during a session hit Doc like a freight train. James Harvey pushed his guilty conscience aside to continue the conversation he was having with the eternally young lady, "My name is Dr. James Harvey an-"

The Warden slammed her hands on the desk and looked at the Doc with enthusiasm, "Did you just say that you are THE Dr. James Harvey? Great Therapist of the Dead, Dr. Harvey?"

"Uh, yes?"

Little Miss Warden clamped her tiny hands over the Doc's, "Welcome! Welcome! And your comrades?"

"My daughter, Kat, and the McFadden's."

"The McFadden's! Is it true that you hold the record for the longest possessions?! Now that I had a good look at you I should have recognized the infamous Ghostly Trio!" Now normally the Trio would bask in the glory of recognition, but something wasn't setting right with this childlike ghost.

Doc was trying to get a word out about his daughter to stick with the plan. "Well, you see-"

"Oh my goodness!" The Warden made a cute little pout. "How inconsiderate of me! You just said that you are recently deceased. You must be here for a job. Well I don't need a resume or an application filled. Your reputation is good enough for me. Would you like a tour before your first day working with us?"

"Well, uh?"

Stretch wrapped his arm around Dr. Harvey's neck, "As long as we get to join. Doc has been a good compadré to us and we want to make sure that this new job isn't too demanding."

Stinky joined in with a smile, "We also wanted to make sure that he would still have enough down time for his still living daughter."

"And enough dough for Kat to survive on while living here and whether or not it was safe for a fleshie to live here with her deadbeat father." Fatso bellowed as he nearly knocked the others over with his stomach.

Little Miss Warden's cute face changed into a grimus, "Ah, yes. Your daughter. Your very fleshie daughter." As fast as Stretch had caught the tone of her voice the smile was back and she was acting all cutesy again. "As long as you all behave and she acts like a proper young lady I will make you VIPs. Now on with the tour!"

***

A janitor walked deep into the near abandoned wing of the Asylum, even with a gray baseball cap and one-piece coveralls he was surprised no one saw through his disguise yet. But then again, as his friend Betelgeuse used to say, 'no one notices lesser folks, and that's what makes the majority a bunch of idiots.' Since then he always treated his staff with a 'thank you' and small acts of kindness.

He smiled at the memory of his old friend. His life was usually dull, depressing, like a storm cloud over him until he met the Ghost with the Most.

Now our janitor here was no fool. He knew Betelgeuse was a con, a liar, and a cheat. While the young man never joined his friend's scams, he still paid attention to the poltergeist's stories and lessons. The man was his favorite trickster.

He cried when his friend was banished. He visited during the ten years when the demon was in the waiting room. He was even the voice of reason towards Betel when he was being 'relocated' to Porta Inferni. And he rejoiced when he got the wedding invitation.

The past three months have been nerve racking. Our janitor was there during the Poltergeist and Deadit War. He didn't fight in the war, wasn't ALLOWED to. But he did help paved the way through the Netherlands to help the living escape the Deadites. All those people, both living and dead, went through a lot to escape Winter River, Connecticut. They were all injured, desperate, and most importantly scared.

It's one thing for a breather to be scared because of ghosts, it's a completely different ballgame when said breathers and ghosts are scared together because of something else. 

He found himself at the rendezvous, he was so deep into his own mind he was surprised to be in front of the barely used door. He leaned against the door and waited. There was a gentle knock from the other side, "Who is rapping, rapping at my chamber door?"

"Darkness here and nothing more." The janitor smiled as he opened the door for Marice and his friends. "Dude, what is up with you and Poe?"

"Dark poetry is relaxing." The janitor shrugged his shoulder and continued, "Hot Shot is on the second floor, the oldest part of the building. They don't get very many visitors so be discreet." He passed a charm that will allow Marice to use his Under the Bed Magic as an escape route. There is a magic blockage in the Asylum that only the highest elites can bypass. "Use the stairs. No one uses those since the 1940's when the elevators were added to the building."

"Thanks man." The monster kids ran up the nearby stairs and disappeared into the second floor.

The janitor mozzied down the hallway with a small smile on his face. He hopes this works. The survival of both the Living and the Dead hangs in the balance on the success of the mission.

***

"And this is the game room!" The Warden waved her petite hand with a little cute showman flare. "It's unhealthy for the patients to be all cooped up in their cells. So we have this room for playing board games and watching tv."

"Does it dubbs as a craft room as well? Crafts also help with relaxation and creative thinking." Dr. Harvey figured that he might play 'psychiatrist looking for employment' if he starts acting like a psychiatrist. He was asking questions about patients, activities, health concerns, and paperwork.

"We have a separate craft room in the basement."

Okay that didn't sound good. Stretch was either being a paranoid schizophrenic or he was onto something. "Basement? Don't crafts need natural lighting?"

"It is closest to my office." Then a big gorilla of a man came to the door wearing something that looks like the Blue Boy painting by Gainsborough. The only difference is that the gorilla was wearing a blue boater hat with blonde rag curls coming out from underneath. "Excuse me. I must speak with my staff."

Stretch waited until the child-like boss of the Asylum was out of earshot, "I hope it is my imagination running wild, but I don't like this. The girl didn't sit right with me."

"Normally I would say that it is your mental illness that is making you delusional. But I would have to agree that there's definitely something wrong with her." Doc adjusted his glasses and continued. "Most supervisor's offices in mental health facilities are front and center of the building for easy escape for when the most dangerous patients start an uprising. A basement has no escape route and would be too boxed in if an emergency happens."

"Not only that, anyone foolish enough to follow her down a basement would most likely be trapped themselves." Stinky pushed his hand against the nearby wall. "The wards are phenomenal! Can't even go through the walls."

Kat looks around the room, "What about air vents? Would you guys be able to go through?"

Fatso gave the teenage girl a noogie, "Maybe, but not without you, kiddo."

"Kat? Do you have the chant memorized?" Casper had that face again. Kat has seen that face whenever he was worried about her safety. It always breaks her heart.

"Ye-yeah. Will he be able to get through the wards?" 

"Who will be able to get through?" Everyone jumped at the sound of the Warden walking up behind them.

If Stretch had feet at the time he would be quick on them, "My bro was testing the strength of the wards and was betting me that I won't be able to get through."

"Hohohohoh!" Nobody likes the weird way she laughed, but Little Miss Warden continued, "It would take more than the Ghostly Trio to break the wards. Maybe if King Kibosh… you…. and some divine power… works together… maybe. But that is only hypothetical. Now! I would need you to join me in my office for the paperwork and we can have a beautiful start of employment for you Dr. Harvey."

Shit.

Kat grabbed Stinky's hand and pointed at him, "Ummm… Stinky gets gassy enclosed spaces..." 

Stinky gave Kat a wink, "If you think my aloma is putrid now, you might want us out here?"

But the Warden wasn't budging. In a sing-song way she led everyone to a nearby elevator, "Nonsense! I will take only a moment!"

The ride down to the basement was nerve racking and quiet. And it felt like it took too long to get there. Like how deep is the basement?

The Ghostly Quar-dead tried to silently comfort the younger members of their ragtag family by reassuring touches. But Stretch kept his eye on the disgustingly sweet abomination. He didn't trust her. Not one bit.

Down. Down. Down.

Until they finally stopped. 

When the doors open their eyes were assaulted by a bright pink light and found themselves in a world that looks like the lovechild of the Candyland Board Game and Barbie's Dream House Mansion. Everything was pink, glittery, and fluffy.

Stretch looked up at the ceiling and noted that it was so high that clouds were forming. "Is the basement so deep that it created an ecosystem?"

"Good eye!" The Warden walked over to a door that had the word office written on it guarded by two more bodyguards that looked like clowns. "Please, come inside. I have the paperwork ready to be signed." 

The group entered a very normal looking office. Actually, the office WOULD have looked normal if it didn't look like a 12 year-old Dolores Umbridge used it for tea parties.

The Warden pulled out a large stack of papers and set them on her desk, "Please sign the highlighted-"

Before she finished Stretch grabbed the stack and was going through it. Paper was flying as he read everything with lightning speed, "Nope. Nope. Nope. Heh, clever, but nope. Nope. Cute. But no. Nah. Nope. Nope. AH HA!" The leader of the Trio lifted up the last sheet, "There is the real McCoy. Doc, this sheet was to be signed by the four of us to force you to work for all eternity and have me and my brothers committed as patients which would have us trapped here."

The Warden's face changed from shocked to fury really fast and started to laugh. The laugh was not of humor, bit of madness. "It matters not. You, Dr. Harvey will work for me, your friends will be committed, and your daughter and Tutelar will return to the Church. Then… we will hunt down the patient you stole from me!"

Kat grabbed Casper and busted out of the door. Kat can still hear the child-like madwoman's laughter. Luckily they are faster and have more energy than the big goons that were by the door. They kept running. Until they found a door, without thinking they ducked inside.

"Kat? I think we ran into the Craft Room..." The room had fabrics, buttons, and ribbons scattered around. But the most noticeable feature in the room was life-size dolls sitting in chairs.

Kat stepped closer to one of the dolls, "What's up with the dolls?"

Casper joined her and grabbed her hand, "I don't think those are dolls."

"Hohohohoh!" The Warden was at the doorway, "I must say, your family is making things hard for my bodyguards." She started to walk towards the two teens. "How do you like my doll collection?"

"Creepy as fuck."

"That's not very ladylike." She started to charge at the kids, "Higgledy Biggledy Pop!" The Warden's Lollipop Wand hit a couple of the dolls when Kat and Casper ducked out of the way of the attack. The dolls that were hit started to scream before turning to dust. "My dolls! You will pay for that!" 

The Warden waved her Lollipop when the door was knocked off its hinges. A tall man in black walked in the room. Scared the piss out of both Casper and Kat until the man spoke in a familiar voice, "Kat? Do the chant. Now."

"Stretch?" The kids were awestrucked. After hearing his voice from the stranger they finally noticed the hook at the tip of his nose and his violet eyes.

"Kat!" Stretch barking out her name snapped her out of the shock and started the summoning.

"Though I know I should be wary,  
Still I venture someplace scary,  
Ghostly hauntings I turn loose!  
Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!"

A thunderous noise was heard and lightning in a cloud of dust filled the room. When the dust settled a giant snake was in the middle of the room, Kat was even more frightened when a humanoid torso with bat or dragon wings appeared from the coils. The face was ugly with big round yellow eyes and needle like teeth, but oddly familiar.

"Be- Betelgeuse?"

Janet Kingsburg came out of the snake demon's coils, "Thanks, Kat! You just solved a little problem that we were having!"

Huh?

A familiar voice was heard from the depths of snake flesh, "RELEASE ME BUMBLING OAF!" 

Betelgeuse unwrapped his tail and freed the strange group. Stretch made a groaning noise, "How the hell did Blair and Kibosh get involved, Betelgeuse?"

Blair straightened her motorcycle up and smiled, "What a ride! Stretch, you will not believe the things we discovered!" 

"King Kibosh! With a demon, two women, and your secretary. My, my, my. How curious." The little girl laughed, "But you are now on- What are you doing?"

Janet was already Infront of the "dolls" with flames in her hands. With a smile she touched the nearest one. The Doll burst into flames.

"No! My Dolly!"

"Who're you calling a dolly, Warden?" The fires died down and the ghoulish man dusted the ashes that was once a lacy piece of clothing. "Having you committed here was too lenient for your sentence."

Kibosh chuckled, "Judge Mental, you might want to cover yourself before getting all preachy." Kibosh grabbed a piece of fabric and covered his old friend with it, "You've been here the whole time?"

"That brat..." The Judge glared at the girl in blue. "She is a patient here. I had her committed to this facility after she was caught doing unorthodox methods of treatments when she was the Warden of the Nether Lands Correction Penitentiary. I visited to see her progress only to find that she had taken over the Asylum."

The Warden's laughter was ringing throughout the room, "You'll come back as my Dolly. So will everyone else! Higgledy Biggledy-"

"CATCH!" Janet tossed a strange gold and black box towards Lil' Miss Warden who caught in her arms with a bewildered grimace. Then she was gone. Disappeared without a trace. "Good thing I had the Lemarchand Configuration."

Betelgeuse rolled his eyes as his segregated sister picked up the puzzle, "Don't you mean that it was a good thing that the nut job was so narcissistic that she didn't care to notice you playing with a puzzle?"

"That too!" Janet noticed something through the busted doorframe, "Shit! Betelgeuse! Stop him!"

Everyone ran out the room and looked up at the ceiling. A bat demon was escaping. Luckily Betelgeuse was still in his demonic form and got air super fast.

"That's Bartholomew Batt! Maynot's old secretary." Judge Mental shook his head, "He was fired for embezzling money from the taxpayers of Vigil!"

"Fired? He still works for Maynot." Something is not right here, "Mayor Maynot? The dude covered in yellow bandages. Might be a mummy or an Invisible Man?"

"No No No. Short, stout gentleman, and a top hat enthusiast."

"Shit…"

"Indeed…"

***

"You two are interdimensional clown demons! How did they defeat you?!" The bat demon was livid.

The two Omega Glamours looked at each other and the smarter of the two shrugged, "Yeah, Hell no. We are NOT fucking with HER." Scuzzo pointed a finger at Janet. "Nobody told us that you were the mate of a First Alpha Glamour!"

"What does that mean?" Bartholomew's eyes widened.

"Meaning that she is probably protected by a Glamour family." Fuzzo nodded his head in agreement with his brother. "Being pregnant with a First Beta. You must be really powerful to still have your original body…"

What? 

Everyone looked at Janet with shocked expressions. She was doing this mission for three months and pregnant?

Janet smiled, "Since you two know about my mate and my unborn child, I will tell you. I belong to Creepy Gray, Descent of Pennywise Gray."

Scuzzo and Fuzzo went from kneeling to scurrying real fast, "Shit!Shit!Shit! We didn't know. We didn't know!"

"Didn't know what?" Janet inched closer to the brothers, "That I am Porta Inferni Royalty? That I have connections with the most powerful Glamour Clan in the Microverse? Or maybe you didn't know that Inferni didn't send me, but that in the past three months I was working for the Death Deities?"

This time even Batt was getting twitchy. If it wasn't for the fact that his wings were tied by yarn from the Craft Room he would have bolted for sure. The three lackys of the fake mayor finally realized that they were fucked.

"Oops! I said too much. I guess we have to kill you." Janet waved her hand dismissively, "Of course I am too delicate from my condition to do any killing. But my demonically divine brother would be more than happy to do the dirty work for me."

Betelgeuse smiled a crazy look. The corners of his toothy grin almost reached his wide blue eyes. He grabbed the bat demon and oldest brother by the chin and gave the youngest the most predatory look with the corner of his eyes. "I wouldn't mind at all. I always wanted to see if a high tier demon, like myself, can kill Glamours." He returned his attention to Bartholomew, "And you look like a snack."

Betelgeuse's grip loosened and he stepped back. "Or we can have some answers? A little tit for tat as you will? Starting with the real Mayor Maynot's whereabouts."

"Lost Souls Room. Along with a few others..." Scuzzo scuffed.

"Does that include Dr. Zigmund Void?" The judge asked with a sneer, "He is the real warden of the asylum."

"He is here. We just don't know where. He has been in hiding for a while now."

Janet smiled at that particular news. If the judge is now relieved about the original warden's absence then that's one point for them. But something was still bugging her, "What is the kid's real name? The one we smuggled out of here?"

Batt "Abaddon Scratch. He is the only surviving member of the Scratch Family." 

This time it was Kibosh that got in their faces, "The Scratch Heir! You had him this entire time!" Lightning was forming around the King of the Dead. "The Scratch Family was one of the most influential Netherborns in the Spiritual Realm. Five years without a trace, and you had their son!"

"Better take care of these guys and join the others," everyone turned towards the new voice behind them and saw a little man with a big crack on his head, a gray beard, yellow eyeglasses and a red suit. 

Next to him was a young man in a janitor outfit that everyone in the group recognized, "Prince Vince?" Casper, followed by Kat, leaped at him in a friendly hug. 

"Greetings Casper. Kat, are you alright? Quite the travel you both had." The Prince of the Netherlands smiled at Dr. Harvey, "I heard about what happened last night, Doc. If there is anything I can do for you just name it."

Betelgeuse frowned at his old friend, "Prince Vince? Do you mind having this conversation at least…." He smiled and pointed at a direction, "Fifteen feet that way. Don't want anyone in the cross-fire."

Stretch eyes Betelgeuse, "Shit…" Stretch grabbed Casper and Kat and bolted to a safe distance followed by Prince Vince and Blair. The other after a look of confusion thought it was better to join Stretch and the Prince.

Except for Janet. She had one more question before she moved to safety, "Where are the kids? And I mean the ones that aren't in the Lost Souls Room."

Scuzzo stared at her for a moment, "Don't know. Only the mayor knows where the kids are."

"Thank you. Where you are going, a Glamour worth his salt can escape in a few days. It would be a shame if the information is false and I would have to call my in-laws. They are the best hunters in the multiverse." Instead of joining the others she returned to the Craft Room to reawakened the surviving "dolls." When she came out with Little Miss Warden's victims there was a giant crater where the Glamour Brothers and Demon Bat stood.

***

"Sooooo… Why are we meeting at an abandoned bar?" Blair looked through the cupboards to see if there was any hidden booze that was left behind.

Janet knocked open a hidden shelf that contains a bottle of moonshine, two bottles of bathtub gin, and a bottle of Shrunken Head Vodka. "Because it is more than the kids that are meeting us and my motel room would be too crowded."

The sound of Doomie's engine was heard from outside. When the kids came in Maurice was carrying the red imp that they rescued. Mantha spotted Kat and sat next to her. Thatch decided to hang at the raptors. Ra and Wolfie sat next to Casper across from the girls.

Dr. Void, the little man with the crack on his head, ushered the blue monster to a table for him to place Hot Stuff. "The collar is preventing the patient from moving and speaking freely. Once the cursed item is removed he'll be a little disoriented, but he will have his freewill returned." He looked at Dr. Harvey pointively, "Doctor? Can you hold his wrists? Whatever those bastards did to him will rush out of him full force."

Doc nodded and held the red devil down. Once the collar was removed the kid started screaming on the top of his lungs. His body heat started to rise.

Hotter.

Hotter.

Hotter. Then fire.

The table was in a blazing inferno. Luckily they had a Phoenix on their side. Janet grabbed the teenager, held him, and fused her divine healing flames with his own frightfully depraved firestorm until the blaze died down to cinder. The two were on the floor without a stitch of clothing. 

"You okay, kid?" Janet's sounded out of breath, but she still showed comfort by rubbing his back in circles.

Hot Stuff's voice was weak and scratchy from years of unused and the 40 seconds of screaming, "Ye-yeah..." 

"Glad to have you back, Hot Stuff. Or do you prefer Abaddon?"

"I… like Hot Stuff… sounds sexy…"

The doors opened and entered the rest of the group. The Death Deities!

The Egyptian god Anubis with his chimera beast, Ammit the Soul Eater. "Mrs. Kingsburg, we are here to help."

The blue-skinned four-armed Hindu god, Yama. "Not that we can help that much, this is touching the line on 'not interfering with the living,' mind you."

Hades and his wife, Persephone and their three-headed dog Cerberus from Greece. "But both of your theories came through. The connection of the red string and the origin of the demon was spot on!"

The Death Saint with her robe of red and gold. Santa Muerte of Latin America. "I have clothing for you two if you want." 

Iku from the Yoruba religion of Africa. He didn't say anything, he rarely does. But he nodded in acknowledgement. 

Cernunno, The Wiccan Horned God. Kernunno bent his deer shaped head, "Forgive us for being late." 

And last but not least, the Pale Horseman himself, Azrael the Angel of Death. "My. My. My. This group has gotten much bigger." 

Janet just laughed. "No kidding! When I was getting back up I didn't think that the local kids and the Royal Family would be part of… all this. At this rate I wouldn't be surprised if the Ghostbusters join in."

"They would have a field day!" Betelgeuse started counting on his hand, "Egon would study all the science shit about the Vail. Ray would try to get a grasp of the cultural differences between Porta Inferni and Virgil."

"Peter would try to join you on a few cons," Janet winked at her partner, "And Winston and I would talk battle strateg-"

"And the rest of us would be staring at you two like you're crazy!" Stretch interrupted the friendly banter, "You're telling me that you are in league with the Ghostbusters?! And on a first name basis no less?!"

Betelgeuse shrugged, "They're pretty cool in their own dorky way."

"It's kinda nice having someone in my network that actually knows what I do."

Stretch looked at the two supernatural killers with wide eyes, "Oh my fucking god..."

"ENOUGH!" Kibosh's voice boomed throughout the abandoned wateringhole. "With all this… claptrap how do you two get anything done?!" Everyone in the room was silent, until the Death Deities started to laugh followed by Betelgeuse and Janet. "What is funny? Can't this mission be taken seriously?!"

Persephone touched the Goulfather's shoulder, "We Deities are laughing because it is funny to us." She points towards the other two, "Janet and Betelgeuse are laughing for a completely different reason."

Kibosh looked at the most murderous couple of idiots and saw them petting Ammit and Cerberus with the Hot Stuff and Casper smiling between them.

Dr. Harvey joined Persephone's side and made a thoughtful humming sound, "Yes. The boy had known nothing but pain and suffering for the longest time. That claptrap that you disliked so much… it was letting him know that he was finally safe. He was finally free to smile. They were trying to cheer him up without him feeling emotionally crowded."

***

Janet flew in her hawk form as she scanned the area. Seeing nothing suspicious or anything that would give them a disadvantage the hawk flew back to the others.

"Everything clear, Sis?" Betelgeuse looked at the bird of prey with worry, "And out of subject, is it okay for you to fly like that in your condition?"

{Seriously, Bro?}

"I'm allowed to worry about my segregated sister... who's pregnant."

{City Hall is clear. And I am alright. I am pregnant, not broken. So please don't start with me.}

"If you say so, Sis. Point of entries?"

{Third floor has an open window but the whole place is warded. Don't get me wrong. The wards are super weak. Might take some doing, but we can bust in.}

Stretch made a huge sigh, "The one time I wish Kibosh was with us."

{Kibosh agreed to stay with the kids and the doctors at the bar.}

"Yeahhhhhhh… but we kinda lost a tank in this Party." Stinky was getting fidgety. "Feels like something is going to go wrong."

{First off...NERRRRRD! Man I miss my D&D playing kids.... Second, we still have two tanks, two rogues, a healer, and a mage.} 

Stinky gave her the stink-eye, "I know that you are referring to you being the healer and Betelgeuse's one of the rogues. But who are the tanks, mage, and the other rogue?"

Fatso gave a small smile, "Stretch and I are the tanks..." Everyone looks at Fatso with catfish gaping mouths. "Ah… Fuck… Stretch, I remember."

"What?"

"I remember being the Town Butcher. I also remember how I died." Fatso gave a huge sigh. "I know you told the kids it was the alcohol that did Stinky and me in. And it's not that unreasonable why you thought that. But I remember how I really died."

"How long?"

"Always remembered. Stretch? I died a very violent death. They… found out that I had a black lover. Took thirteen men to take me down and I took over half of them with me." He made a chuckle sound, "The cowards wouldn't dare jump me in the Shop. Too many potential weapons I guessed."

"You're missing for a year after ya died, Fatso. I figured you were in the waiting room or crossed over when I found out." Stretch rubbed his brother's back, "Ya never been to the Netherlands… have ya? Well except when buying booze."

"Nope. After I died I killed the remaining attackers a couple of days later and traveled the world. Finally got to see an opera, and tried some exotic foods. Funny how the dead are more alive then the living…" Fatso paused thinking about what to tell his older brother, "And I am really a Class IV Seven Deadly."

"Fuck… You're a Legend…" 

"Class IV…"

"Same as the Ghosts of Christmas. Fuck… I take it you're Gluttony."

{Your incorporeal form is NOT your real self? Tisk Tisk.} Janet lifted her wings to take off one more time. {I am going to do another lap around the building. See if I can find the weakest spots in the ward.}

After Janet was gone Stretch returned his attention back to his brother, "Why didn't you tell me, Fatso?"

"Why didn't you tell us that you were a Class VII Poltergeist?"

"Touche." Stretch eyed Stinky, "Since we are hanging out some laundry, any dirty little secrets you wanna share?"

"I don't remember much about my life, but I remembered that my body was dumped in the sewers. I think I am a class V? I mean I don't just stink, I can control chemicals that stink."

Betelgeuse perked up, "Chemicals?"

"Uh, Yeah. Like Acetic Acid and Trimethylamine."

"What about Hydrogen Sulfide?"

"What part of 'my body dumped in the sewers' did ya not understand? Of course I can control Sewer Gas. Your poi-" The little stinker stopped and smiled, "Smart… Really smart. Hydrogen Sulfide is highly toxic and flammable. Perfect for making fireballs in fact."

Betelgeuse snapped his fingers, "And you can control acids that can eat away solid mass."

"Like walls that entrapped a bunch of kids imprisoned by a soul-sucking monster? Well shit. I am the mage… but who is the other rouge?"

{I wish I can say I am surprised that you assholes forgot about me.} Everyone jumped at the sound of Myst's disembodied voice. {I guess the best rouge is one that is not only invisible, but forgotten...}

***

"Teach you a lesson on backstabbing me. Didn't it, Mr. Big?" The false mayor was so busy belittling an already small man that he didn’t even notice that he grew an audience.

"Sir-"

"DON'T! This had become a shit show. Not only do I have to make nice to that faceless soul munching asshole! But now I have to deal with the Royals and Porta Inferni!"

"That's-"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"

"But Sir!" Bigs pointed behind the faker.

The invisible man turned around and with the most fake southern accent you ever had heard, "What's your concern, citizens?"

Janet gave him a very predatory smile, "Too late Prey. You're going to answer to your 'concerned citizens' about their missing kids."

"Wha-"

"Well, ya gave the cultists Royal Artifacts that belonged to the city. Hence the Royal Family being in Virgil, Prey."

"Wait-" 

“And Prey, not only did ya support the 'faceless soul munching demon,' but also provided the children for his meals. Hence Porta Inferni knocking on your door.”

"That-"

"And ya didn't even notice that I have a PAVR on ya."

"Paranormal Active Video Recorder?"

"And it's LIVE, Prey!"

"WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME PREY?!"

Janet’s smile dropped and her face became hard to read, "What else would a hunter call his next kill?" 

The pretender ran past Janet and the others, out the door. Only to face a large crowd on the other side. Both humans and non-humans yelling for justice if not revenge. 

“Kidnapper!”

“Murderer!”

“Sellout!”

“Trator!”

“Stop” Janet’s hand was raised as well as her voice, “You want your loved ones back?! We need this scab of a bastardy fraud to lead us to the kids!” Janet looked at the man with a serious look on her face, “Last chance. Led us to the children!”

The man that had everyone brainwashed to believe he was the mayor nodded his head.

Janet handed him to some stocky humans nearby and walked over to the others, “I won't be joining you.”

Beteleguse looked at his partner with worry when he noticed that she had been flinching from phantom pains, “Is it time for you to nest?”

“Save the kids before I die. You have three hours.”

***

Took a while to get the information Betelgeuse needed from the false mayor. And once he got it he pushed the mayor onto the masses who went after him like piranhas on a slab of meat.

After they found the demon's hideout, Myst went ahead to get intel and report it. Betelgeuse and the Trio waited for news from Myst. They were invisible but stayed far, just in case. 

Their allied disembodied voice returned, {The place is surrounded by cultists. And the demon is here.}

"Did ya find the kids?"

{No...}

The five of them sat there, racking their brains when something unexpected happened, "Uncle Stretch?"

"Gahhhh!... Casper?! What the hell are you doing here?"

Casper looked at his three uncles sheepishly, "Being a Tutelar?"

"Don't be a smart alec, Short Sheet." Stretch grumbled, "How did you find us anyway?"

"The Call. I followed Mr. Betelgeuse's Call." The friendly ghost looks at the seemingly abandoned building, "But now I feel another Call. A more powerful one in there. I think it's the kidnapped victims."

The adults looked at each other and looked at the little ghost. Stretch grumblings got louder, "I can't believe I am suggesting this…. Casper? Can you lead us to the kids?"

"I think that's why I am here." Though he kept it a secret that Janet encouraged him to find and help his family.

Stinky glared at the building, "But how do we get inside?"

Betelgeuse smiled wickedly, "Easy… Think fast boys!" The Snake Demon transformed and rammed into the side of the building.

"Shit! Boys we need to disappear!" Stretch and his family turned invisible and traveled through the wall that wasn't damaged. So far the crazy lunatic's plan worked. The Cultists were too busy messing with Snake Betelgeuse that they didn't even notice that he wasn't alone.

"Over here..." Casper spoke only loud enough for only the other four ghosts to hear. Casper led them to a pit in a dark crevice out of sight. If you didn't know what you were looking for you would have not have found it. And if you did find it, it was because you have fallen in. It was that well hidden.

"Down we go."

"Into the great unknown."

"I shouldn't have eaten that scone." The boys looked at Fatso with puzzling looks. But instead of their usual banter they silently dived down the dark pit.

The amount of kids was bigger than they thought. The pit is big and extremely crowded. Most of the smaller kids were sleeping on the laps of the older ones.

They were all filthy from not bathing for long periods of time. The smell that would have normally made Stinky rejoice, instead sicken him. Some of the kids were picking maggots off of what passed as food before eating it.

For the first time in their afterlife… the Trio didn't wanna scare… How were they going to reveal themselves without scaring anyone?

But Casper being himself quietly spoke to the nearest group of kids, "Hello, I am Casper. Please be my friend."

The group looked up where the voice came from, but a calm older boy spoke, "Hello Casper. My name is Brian. Brian Stevenson. Can you show yourself? Don't worry. These kids aren't afraid of ghosts."

When the ghost became visible again Casper took charge once more, "Nice to meet you, Brian! These are my uncles, Stretch, Stinky, and Fatso. We also have a friend named Myst somewhere around here. We are here to get you out."

{Hey fellas? Some scary blonde lady is coming!}

The ghost turned invisible once more and hiden just before Carrigan Crittenden with a group of cultists entered, "Time to feed our Master." Crittenden reached for a child.

Shit.

An ethereal shield appeared between the Hell Escapee and the kids. A glowing blonde hair young man with blue eyes and wearing a white shirt had his arms raised to form the shield.

Stretch looks at the teenager in recognition, "Casper?"

Casper in human form smiled as levitating feet touched the ground. Grass started to grow around him and his light grew brighter.

"The Tutelar Spirit! Get him!" Crittenden screeched at the human cultists.

But Stretch and Fatso intervene. Stretch was already in his poltergeist form. Fatso, who hasn't changed into his Gluttony form in over a hundred years, was still changing. 

His flabby face was getting rounder with less flab on his sideburned cheeks, his thick dark brown hair clinged to his skull in wavy curls, and his belly was getting more solid, showing that alive he was more stocky than obese. His chest, arms, and shoulders looked solid and strong. The sleeves of his button up were rolled past his elbows and his brown trousers were held up by spenders. And yet the tan colored apron around his waist didn't look at all odd with the assemble.

What did look odd was the shirt was opened and a vertical slit was shown on his stomach. If one didn't know any better, one would assume that the slit was a surgical scar. And luckily for our heroes the cultists didn't know better.

After the humans finally snapped out of shock from seeing ghosts transforming they charged at Stretch and Fatso. Stretch raised his hand and the fuckers turned to fleshy looking ice sculptures. 

Fatso's slit opened revealing sharp shark like teeth and a frog like tongue. The tongue grabbed some nearby devotees and led them to his gaping mouth. The sound of crunching bones and screaming covered the loud belch from Fatso.

While Stretch and Fatso were busy with the idiots in robes and Casper shielding the kids, Stinky had to form the escape plan. "Brian, right?"

"Yes Sir!"

Stinky flinched from a headache. Something about being called 'sir' by a youth felt too familiar and heartbreaking. Stinky waved the strange feeling to the side, there's more pressing matters to attend to. "Have you guys been digging?"

"Sir?"

"Come on kid! You can't tell me that you spent three months here without a 'Great Escape' plan."

"Follow me." Brian led the ghost to the back of the room and moved a loose stone out of the wall. "We got a pretty decent tunnel but we hit hard clay. It's like cement."

"Stay here. I am on it." Stinky dived through the tunnel and found the clay. Brian wasn't kidding. The kids literally had the tunnel stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Hydrofluoric was forming out of Stinky's hand. And as he touched the wall it started to disintegrate. He kept pushing through till he finally saw a light. 

He had done it...

…

Fuck.

"ShitShitShit! SHIT!"

{What's wrong?}

"GAH! Fuck Myst! Ya scared me to life!"

{Not surprising… but seriously, what's wrong? You completed the tunnel! Let's get the kids out.}

"I used Hydrofluoric acid… it's a superacid that is corrosive towards humans. That means it will kill the kids if they go through."

{Shit..}

"Exactly."

{I'll be back to give your brothers a heads-up. Try to figure something out before I get back!}

Fuck.

Myst traveled back to the battle. And boy, did things escalate. Corpses scattered everywhere in a gory mess. The Demon that was fighting Betelgeuse had joined the skirmish and was reaching for the children beyond the Tutelar's weakening shield. Stretch made a barrier out of sharp cones of ice and bodies and Fatso was starting to look unwell. Betelgeuse was laughing like a maniac with black blood oozing out of his mouth.

{Gentleman!}

"Not now, Myst!" Stretch was looking tired and his body was slowly getting transparent again.

{I have bad news.}

Stretch flung his arm to make daggers of icicles hit "God damnit! What?!" 

{Your brother finished the tunnel but it's very poisonous towards humans.}

"TELL THAT IDIOT BROTHER OF MINE TO RE-ABSORB THE POISON!" 

{On it!}

Crittenden snuck up on Stretch and tackled him to the floor, "Not so fast you flaccid little worm you! Show yourself or this bedsheet gets it."

Stretch, weakened from overusing his powers struggled underneath the evil bitch, "Myst! Don't listen to her! That's how she killed Doc!"

{Flaccid… little… worm...} Then a sound of creepy laughter filled the pit. {Oh thank you Carrigan, for reminding me...}

Crittenden eyes widened in realizations, "Dibs?"

{I go by 'Myst' now.} A hazy fog appeared in the room covering everything and everyone up. Myst laughed as the vapor started to form a human figure. Paul "Dibs" Plutzker was still wearing the pastel green shirt and white suspenders he died in and his blue eyes were wide with madness.

{Oh I would have so much fun with you, if only time wasn't so pressing. Until then Sweetheart, I believe you have a flight to catch.} Crittenden's jaw dropped as she was being flung out of the pit and through the ceiling. The Fog Ghost looked at the remaining cultists. {Anyone else?} 

The surviving devotees looked at their master as if debating if he was worth it and started running screaming. Dibs transformed back into Myst and called out in a sing-song way, {Gotta get back to Stinky.}

All that was left was the faceless fiend that just stood there, "Interesting… But you will lose. You're all weakened from the fighting. Once that icy cold barricade melts and the Tutelar's shield disperse I will enjoy eating ever- What's that sound?"

The deafening roar of an engine was getting louder and louder…

CRASH! VERUMMMM!

"Need a woman's hand, boys?"

"Holy shit! Blair?" Fatso smiled at the sight of their maid in all her badass glory on top of Ichabod's seat waving the rosary beads.

"Fatso? Is that you?"

Stretch on the other hand is pissed. Not at Blair, but at the fact that he was scared. Scared of losing his family and the woman he never had the guts to tell her… "Blair! Get the fuck out of here!"

"Miss Blair?" Casper's shield finally depleted.

The Abomination took advantage of the confusion and charged for Casper. But Blair Blinked between him and is first choice of a meal.

But a meal is till a meal.

The Long Man grabbed Blair by the neck as a slit on his face ripped open. Blair can feel her life being shucked out but she only smiled, "Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de cnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn…"

Blair's soul less body dropped to the floor. The ghosts were too shocked to say a word…

The Demon stepped back. What the hell was that? A Gaelic curse? Most Gaelic curses are nothing more than flowery insults, but this… felt different… like… a real Curse!

A squatty man in overalls, newscap, and buck teeth came out of the tunnel. "Hey guys! Every kid is out-" Stinky, in his new palpable form, noticed the body on the floor. "Blair?"

"Gasp!" Blair shot back up and looked at the Demon, who jumped even farther back, with an icy glare.

"Thought you can get rid of me that easily?" She flipped him the bird and started to yell, "PÓG MO THÓIN YA GODSHITE EEJIT!" 

"How?" The Demon took another step back not noticing that he was in a trap.

Betelgeuse, finally in reach, grabbed the fowl beast by a nearby limb and pulled him down. The monster screamed from the pain of Betelgeuse's teeth on his neck.

But instead of white light coming out of the bastard's body shadows crawled out of the abyss. A booming voice was heard, "WHAT LOVELY BONES TO MAKE MY LADDER. CAN'T WAIT TO START APPLE PICKING."

Betelgeuse started to laugh again, "Later Slendy P. Slenderman!"

The shadows grabbed Slenderman and started to rip him to shreds. Taking each piece one by one back to the fiery pits, the shadows return once where they came from.

Casper, exhausted and back to his intangible form, slumped next to Stretch, "Is it over?"

Stretch, also finally in his incorporeal form, cuttled his nephew, "Yeah. It's over."

"Not quite." Blair walked to Betelgeuse and pulled his arm over her shoulders.

"Shit! Fuck! Blair, you're stronger than you look." Betelgeuse, in a little pain, limped over to Blair's motorcycle. "What do ya mean 'not quite?' We've beaten the asshole, right?"

"Think Betel! How did I came back? After he sucked my soul, how did I came back?"

"Betelgeuse stared at Blair for a moment before something clicked, "Where's Janet?"

"In the Lost Souls Room."

***

Everyone met at St. Beatrice Hospital where Janet was brought in after the Lost Souls Room became empty. The door was opened and not a lost soul was found in the room.

The Harveys and McFaddens saw it quite amusing to find Mother Mary Helen, Freddy Kruger's biological mother piping about how she should be the one to take care of Janet.

But all became real quiet when a dark goddess stormed in like a force to be reckoned with demanding the whereabouts of her husband. "My name is Lydia Deetz! My husband is Betelgeuse 'The Snake' Orien!"

After everyone were discharged shortly after everyone thought it was a good day to visit a sidewalk cafe. The Grays practically reserve the sidewalk for their daughter-in-law, Janet. "I can't believe I missed all the fun?"

Stinky ruffled Janet's hair, "I can't believe how young you really are?" And young is an understatement. The woman was in her mid twenties. A stalk difference from her old crone look.

"I think the white hair and red eyes are badass-"

Stretch started to think very deeply. Doc is dead, Kat is now orphaned, and Casper will be going to the Higher Plains.

If only he can bring them back… if only they can get the Lazarus to work… if only...

Didn't even registered that Brian and Marice were kissing.

Betelgeuse snapped his fingers in Stretch's face, "Hey buddy! Ya okay?"

The leader of the Trio (excuse me, Quar-dead) jumped a little and turned bubble gum pink. "Sorry."

Dr. Harvey patted his friend's back, "We had a good run, didn't we?"

"What? Shit Doc. I was just thinking about how to get Lazarus back-n'-runni-"

BAM! Crash. "Lazarus?! Did you say Lazarus? As in the machine built by John Thomas McFadden, named after the man revived from death by the King of the Higher Plain?"

"How do you know that?" Stretch was feeling a lot… alot of desperation, suspicion, and hope.

"How do you know about my dad's invention?" Casper's innocent question nearly brought on the waterworks again.

Janet turned around and made three short whistles. Christen rolled up next to the cafe and opened her trunk. After shuffling through a tote-bag that's in the trunk the odd woman brought out a leather booklet. 

"Alistair 'Stretch' McFadden? I have the journal of the greatest inventor of the supernatural world." Janet passed the text to the head of the McFaddens. "JT McFadden was looking for and studying phoenixes. Phoenix blood was the secret ingredient for the primordial potion to bring the dead back to life. But the elixir is very advanced and the entire recipe is in Latin."

Casper nodded his head, "Of course! The primordial soup had to be brewed by highly skilled witches to make it. Sadly at the time witches wouldn't help ghosts. Ectoplasm was used in a lot of potions and rituals."

The Phoenix sat back down and her husband passed her a knife and little glass bottle. "I wouldn't be too surprised if he blotched the first two batches. The recipe was for three-"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Stretch grabbed my hand to stop Janet from cutting.

"You need my blood for the primordial brew." Janet cut her wrist and filled the vial.

Fatso grabbed the container before Stretch could do anything to it, "Bro? We can bring Doc back to life. Hell! We can bring Casper to life."

Stinky waved his hand and a cellphone appeared. "And I know the Goodwitch to call!"

Freddy eyed the trio, "You know the Goodwitch Clan?"

Fatso laughed, "Know them?! Casper dated the queen when she was still a kid!"

Casper smiled at Kat, "I can't wait to introduce you to Wendy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Wanna vote what gender the baby is? Here are the choices:
> 
> Pyre- boy  
Cinne- girl  
Jehoel- non-binary
> 
> Just messaged the name you want!


End file.
